What's to Become of Me?
by JetGirl1832
Summary: When Eponine miraculously survives the barricade her life is changed... For the better. Eventual Eponine/OC
1. Chapter 1

_It was silent… Dead silent, Éponine looked at the room that surrounded her confused of where she lay, it looked like the cafe but it could not be so. She had been shot, she had died in Marius's arms and could remember her world growing dark and disappearing. It was impossible and improbable to be in the cafe if she had died, so there was only one answer._

"I'm alive?" Éponine whispered, she sat up and was very confused and dizzy with pain, "how?" She wondered quietly. The café was still quiet; no one except her was there at least from what she could see. Still unsure if she really was alive or dead she ran her hand down to her chest where the bullet had pierced her. Her shirt was still covered in her blood but some had been ripped away and her wound had been bandaged; had someone saved her life and then left her here alone? Why?

Getting off of the table she had been lying on, she stretched her stiffened back and tried to walk but her feet were not willing to comply causing her to trip over a nearby chair. Slowly she raised herself up and steadied against the chair. "Marius…" The name went from her mind to her lips, a tear slid across her cheek; he didn't know she was alive. But then where was he? Had Marius survived too?

As quickly as she could she grabbed her coat which had been set beside her, she noticed that her hat was gone... But that really wasn't important right now she told herself as she left the café.

Now back in number 55 Rue Plumet, Marius was in the small guest bedroom sitting at a small table with Cosette beside him. The barricades had fallen less than a day ago and already people were trying to snap Marius out of the perpetual gloom that hung over him. "Marius, it's over now and we can get on with our lives… together." Cosette spoke tenderly while Marius looked at the old working man's cap still grasped tightly in his hands; somehow it had stayed with him his entire journey.

Cosette looked at the hat "You know, I don't understand why you insist on keeping that God-forsaken thing," She spoke eying the brown cap he held.

All Marius could think about was Éponine's sad brown eyes closing for the last time, her crimson blood staining his hands. "Marius? Who did it belong to?" Cosette asked.

Marius took a deep breath and looked away sadly, "Éponine…" He softly spoke her name.

"A girl?" Cosette asked looking at Marius pointedly "was she the one that was here that night? She scared away the robbers... Didn't she?" It would be impossible for Cosette to forget the events that had happened that night.

"She was a good friend of mine." He sighed, grasping the hat. It was all he had left of her, the one who had done so much for him. Yet it was now that he realized how blind he had been; Éponine had always tried to smile around him even if there were new cuts or bruises or her skirt a little more torn.

"Marius you keep talking about her as if she…" Cosette stopped.

"Died?" He answered bitterly, her death was still too painful for him to deal with.

"I'm sorry," Cosette said softly, "But, what happened? Was she at the barricade too?"

At first Marius did not say anything, "I-I shouldn't tell you… It was terrible," he finally replied.

Cosette was not going to back down easily, "Please? Just tell me what happened to her."

Marius took a deep breath and started to explain, a feeling came over him as if he was back on the barricades the cool night air was nothing but a simple breeze. "Gavroche had just disclosed that one of the volunteers was a spy, a police inspector, Inspector Javert." He recalled the praise bestowed upon little Gavroche. Then he remembered that horrid sound, the crack of a gunshot.

"Immediately we all ran to the barricades, Joly climbed to the top and looked over, he said there was a boy..." Marius continued his story while Cosette gently grasped his hand. He remembered Joly helping the "boy" over the top of the barricade.

"When they pulled the boy over, all I could see was that I recognized the coat. Éponine had been wearing a man's clothing to get to the barricade. The coat on that boy was hers. " Cosette's eyes widened in shock to think that a young girl like the one she saw that night would dare climb a barricade.

Marius looked out the window as he remembered what happened next. "I ran over to the boy… Then when I saw his face I knew it was Éponine, I wasn't sure what to do… Mostly I was angry; I had given her the letter to keep her away from the fighting. She told me that she had done as I had asked, she had delivered the letter but that your father had gotten it... I noticed she was struggling to stand, I tried to help her but she fell into my arms ..."

Marius took another breath before continuing, "I saw there was a small gash on her head, I hoped and prayed that was the worst of it… Then I saw a scarlet spot on her coat… I didn't want to believe it so I pulled back her coat and found her shirt covered in blood, she had been s-shot." Marius ended his sentence shakily. Cosette although unsure of what really happened felt a pain for the mysterious girl.

"She told me I didn't need to worry it didn't hurt her but, in a way I know she was just putting on a brave face like she always did." Marius shook his head "Cosette please forgive me as I say this…" Marius looked to Cosette who nodded in confusion. "Éponine told me she loved me... That she had ever since we first met…" he heard Cosette elicit a small gasp. "She soon fell unconscious and Joly took her inside the Café, he couldn't save her, he and Combeferre tried so hard. She was my best friend!"

Marius thought back to the table where the still body of the young street urchin lay motionless, Gavroche had been standing next to him. The young boy had lost his sister, the two of them had an odd relationship but it didn't mean that they didn't care for each other.

Marius looked at Cosette, even though she had just heard Marius tell her about another girl who loved him. Marius hoped she didn't take it the wrong way he still loved Cosette but he had known Éponine for what would almost be two years if she had lived.

Cosette felt that maybe she understood the relationship of this girl to Marius but she wasn't going to dig deeper, it wasn't her place; she knew that. But, she couldn't stop herself from saying something "I knew an Éponine once, when I was a small child in Montfermeil living with these wretched people, the Thenardiers. Éponine, their daughter, was my age and I guess she copied whatever her mother did and treated me just as badly." Cosette thought back to some of the childhood she remembered but had tried to forget.

She hadn't noticed that Marius eyes had opened wide in shock. "Thenardier?" he asked. Cosette nodded her confirmation. "Dear God, that was her…" He whispered but Cosette heard him.

"The girl who died at the barricade was Éponine Thenardier? That spoiled girl from Montfermeil became a street rat?" Cosette exclaimed in an unladylike manner. She had wondered when she saw that girl for a brief time why she had shown a look of recognition on her face. Cosette couldn't believe it, it shocked her so much, to think that Marius was friends with Éponine Thenardier? It was a strange thought.


	2. Chapter 2

_The normally bustling streets are quiet, not a peaceful quiet but a dead quiet, very much like inside the café. But the streets are not empty; they are anything but that, littered with broken glass, and bullets remainders of the fallen barricade. Bodies are everywhere, what's worse is that I can recognize a few, some of Marius's friends. I've seen Bossuet the unlucky fellow who said I never smiled enough. That alone would make me smile for the time being. That skirt chaser what was his name? Courfeyrac? I've found many of that group of students even the kind hearted poet Jehan…_

A rustling in the streets removed Éponine from her daze; she glanced around and saw a few National Guardsmen. They would shoot her on sight if they saw her! She still looked like a revolutionary from a distance. "Mon dieu! I almost forgot about them!" As fast as she could she made her way to a small alley that would possibly take her outside the barricade all the things that had prevented entry to the area before were gone. While usually quite nimble Eponine was having troubles maneuvering through all the rubbish in the alley. She stopped by an empty crate for a quick breath, her wounds still hurt making her task even more difficult. While leaning against the wall she quickly thought everything through and then remembered what she had been doing before she got frightened off by the National Guard.

"Marius!" She gasped, her brief search had proved fruitless and if he was dead there was no way she could go back to the barricade now. Worried she paced in the alley, "maybe he made it out? Made it to safety? Oh Marius where are you!" She fretted. She would even be fine if he was with Cosette if it meant that he was safe. Éponine walked down the alley and found herself just out in front of the barricade, a memory flooded back to what had occurred not that long ago.

_"Halt!" The guard called,_ _Éponine_ _was so intent on her task of climbing the barricade that she didn't hear the man. She was so close to the top, so close to being with Marius. Then it happened, a pain ripping through her chest, searing through every part of her body, but she didn't let go. She didn't fall from the barricade, ignoring the pain she climbed a little farther but she couldn't anymore, she looked up to the sky and saw the face of a young man with spectacles. It was the kindly medical student, Joly. She couldn't understand what he was saying but remembered him taking her hand and pulling her over the barricade…_

She blinked away the rest of the memory that was ever so vivid in her mind and took in what was going on outside the barricade. There were more National Guardsmen dealing with the bodies of both their men and revolutionaries. Éponine couldn't help but think that one looked out of place in a way, it was much smaller like that of a child. Éponine knew it couldn't be anyone else, it was most definitely Gavroche. It took all of her heart not to cry out in agony but she couldn't stop the tears from running down her face onto her coat and her blood stained shirt. A few national guardsmen approached her knowing she was not a man, but she didn't appear to be a girl either. Her hair had been tucked into her jacket so that no one else saw. "This isn't a place for you boy!" One of the guardsmen called. Éponine looked at them coldly before leaving the barricade and walking towards Rue Plumet. She wasn't sure why... Cosette was gone and Marius probably was dead and yet she continued walking.

There was a lone figure in the garden at number 55 Rue Plumet it was Cosette sitting alone after Toussaint had hurried her out of Marius's room declaring the young man needed rest. The sun was slowly setting leaving the garden in a warm red glow; just then a figure appeared outside the gate. Cosette looked and noticed that they were wearing a long, tattered, workingman's coat. She never saw their face as they slumped down just outside of the gate. Curiosity took over her, who were they? A revolutionary? Had one of Marius's friends survived?

"Excuse me? Monsieur?" she asked. The person stiffened and got up about to run away from the garden gate. But they were struggling, and Cosette saw long brown hair like a girl's. Cosette shook her head thinking about what Marius had told her about...

"Éponine!" Cosette called as she reached the gate looking out onto the street, the unknown person froze as if by a spell and slowly turned around. Cosette could scarcely pick out things that made this person, well girl resemble the child from long ago, it was almost frightening the change...

Éponine stood rooted to the spot and looked at... Cosette? she was here? It couldn't be! Her thoughts raced and she thought back to Marius. Wherever he was… Maybe he was here? Taking her chances she approached the gate once more and faced Cosette. "Is Marius here?" she asked pleadingly. Cosette nodded and Eponine smiled just a little bit just then her chest started to hurt. For a brief moment she had once again forgotten her injury, she put her hand inside her coat which shifted leaving her torn and bloodied shirt exposed.

Cosette took a sharp breath as she had recalled that Marius thought she had died; this girl needed help. "Come inside please! You could catch an infection; we'll call a doctor. You can be safe here!" She struggled with the gate for a bit till she realized that it had been locked. She looked at Éponine, unsure of what to do.

"Alright then here goes nothing…" Éponine rubbed her hands together and grabbed the gate, she managed to climb to the top of the gate and over to the other side. As she started her descent her foot slipped. Losing her balance she fell onto the ground, although she was able to somewhat break her fall with her hands which were now scratched up but not severely. Cosette anxiously looked at the gamine who using her now scraped hands was trying to stand back up.

Neither girl had noticed that someone else had entered the garden, "Cosette are you alright?" It was her father. Cosette turned to see him now eying Éponine whom he had not noticed before; she was on her knees unable to lift herself much more. "Who's this?" he asked.

Cosette knew there was no reason to lie so she told her father "Her name is Éponine, she is a friend of Marius and she's wounded…" Without Cosette saying anything else her father calmly strode over to the gamine and picked her up. Eponine immediately started protesting as he carried her inside "I can walk perfectly fine you know! I just had a slight fall! Put me down!"

Marius had awoken late at night from another nightmare about the barricade; it was when Éponine had died. He had lost many good friends; but Éponine, she was always there if you knew where to look… He grinned and was about to drift back to sleep when he saw moonlight shining on to the doorway, it looked like an apparition... A girl wearing a plain dressing gown just looking at him. She looked so familiar, like Éponine... Briefly the moon illuminated her features clearly and Marius was now almost certain it was her. "I must be dreaming..." he muttered to himself, although deep inside he still wished that the apparition was real.


	3. Chapter 3

When Marius awoke the next morning his heart sank, it had all been a dream. As much as he loved Cosette she could never be the friend that Éponine was… She was almost as if she was his sister, the friendship they shared was confusing to anyone who met them. Mostly to Courfeyrac who would tease that the young gamine was Marius mistress.

At that moment Toussaint swept in to speak to Marius "the doctor said that he wanted you to try getting out of this room today, perhaps take some fresh air in the garden?" The old women spoke kindly and laid out some things for Marius, mostly what he had been wearing at the barricade, but it was now clean and mended.

He sat up as Toussaint was about to leave "Toussaint?" he asked.

The kind women turned around "Yes Monsieur?"

"I thought I saw a girl here last night... Do you know anything about her?" Marius asked although if he was wrong it would make him possibly appear insane to the housekeeper.

"Yes as matter of fact there was a girl, poor dear, a street urchin injured during the revolution, she is with Cosette right now." Toussaint nodded, Marius now needed to know more.

"What's her name?" Marius asked urgently.

"I believe it was Emmeline? No. Eloise? No. It was Éponine, yes that's it" Toussaint answered kindly. Marius immediately tried to get out of bed after Toussaint left and started getting dressed. Éponine was alive! It seemed impossible but it might be true, it had to be her!

The two girls were in a companionable silence, Éponine sitting at Cosette's dressing table in a clean chemise and petticoats. Cosette was wearing a pretty dark blue dress with a matching ribbon holding back her light brown curls.

Éponine's skin was a nice rosy color after she had spent a fair amount of time scrubbing to wipe away all the grime and dry blood. Her hair was clean and after a painful attack with a hairbrush it became untangled. Despite her hollow cheeks, bruises scrapes and the wound on her chest she was starting to look like a lady.

As Cosette pulled out a corset and a light blue dress with dark blue trim for Éponine she started to speak. "Are you really Éponine?" Cosette asked when she turned to the girl, Éponine looked at Cosette, confused; it was her name why would she lie?

"Sorry… I meant to say are you really Éponine Thenardier?" Cosette reworded he question which now was a bit clearer.

"I am… I guess Marius told ya' that?" Éponine shrugged.

"He doesn't know you're here yet," Cosette explained and motioned for Éponine to stand up. The urchin obeyed and spun around to face the mirror as Cosette put the corset around her. For the first time Cosette saw the scar that the bullet had made but doctors had stitched up on Éponine's back. She couldn't imagine a bullet flying through this girl's chest, or the fact that she had lived. Hopefully her wounds wouldn't bother her much longer, Cosette thought.

Éponine was rather uncomfortable in the corset as it tightened around both her waist and chest "Is this really necessary?" the gamine complained.

Cosette was gingerly pulling the strings so as not to hurt her and then tied a knot. "I really don't think you need much more than that, you are rather small anyway." She then proceeded to ask Éponine to sit down at the dressing stand again and she picked up a few hair pins off the table. In a matter of moments Éponine's hair was pulled away from her face in a sort of twist. The next step was the dress, a rather simple task that Éponine accomplished as Cosette fetched a pair of shiny black boots.

"Why are ya' being so kind ta' me?" Éponine asked as she put on the boots, which she was practically fighting with. "You would thin' from everythin' I've done that you would 'ate me…" Éponine pulled at the other boot.

As she stood up she wobbled a bit, she hadn't worn ladies boots before, just those of an old working man. "You helped bring Marius and I together I want to thank you in any way possible." Cosette replied getting up to leave the bedroom "Shall we go to breakfast?"

Éponine followed Cosette down the stairs rather slowly still feeling the aches and pains of not just her physical wounds but that deep in her heart. She wondered to herself would she ever be able to let go?

Marius was looking around nervously; he had been waiting for Cosette with the girl who might be Éponine. He had even brought her hat down with him, but right now it was just him and Cosette's father in a rather tense silence that seemed to be noticed only by Marius.

M. Fauchlevent was too busy reading the morning paper. Just then the two ladies emerged; one was his beloved Cosette, the other a rather pretty brunette with brown eyes and a crooked smile… "Éponine!" He exclaimed.

"Marius!" She replied gleefully, she and Cosette headed over to the table set for four, Cosette and Éponine took the empty chairs situated beside Marius and M. Fauchlevent, who still hadn't put down his paper. Toussaint brought out a tray with biscuits and distributed tea to the four seated at the table. Just then Cosette's father stood up taking his paper, tea and biscuits and left the room. Nobody said a word as the old man left and they heard a door close, "I assume he's taken his breakfast out to the garden…" Cosette mused.

Sitting there sipping at her tea now she felt the urge to ask a question that had been bothering her since she had spoken with Marius. What made it worse was the anxiety of Éponine showing up yesterday, such different people how could they ever have met? "Marius… Éponine… I was wondering how the two of you met?" she asked. Éponine laughed a little as she remebered, "It was funny?" Cosette asked the giggling urchin.

"A bit. I thought I might 'ave scared 'im!"

Marius shook his head; with Cosette and Éponine here some of the gloom that had blanketed his heart was dissipating."Quite simply we were at some random tavern of Grantaire's choosing, although I'm still convinced Gavroche had something to do with it…" Marius started but Cosette already had a question. "You both have mentioned Gavroche, who was he?" Cosette figured if he was a student he must have died at the barricade with the others and used the past tense.

Éponine took it upon herself to answer, "Gavroche… 'E was my younger brother, you would never 'ave known 'im. He was going to be eleven soon." She then looked off in the distance and took a breath, the shock of his death still hurt almost more than her physical wounds.

She then motioned for Marius to continue. "I think it was almost two years ago, I was leaving the tavern…"

_Marius was the last of his friends to leave the tavern. it was quite chilly out as winter was coming soon. He noticed at his feet there was a hat, ragged and beaten, something although he wasn't quite sure what it was he picked it up. Did he really think he could find the owner? That seemed very unlikely. "Hey you!" someone called to Marius. He turned to find himself face to face with a girl about the age of fourteen. Her face had streaks of dirt and her clothing consisted of nothing more than a dirty chemise, a worn brown skirt and a man's belt. She held her hand out in front of Marius with a determined look._

"I-I'm sorry I don't have anything I can g-give you," he stammered, noticing the girl was laughing. "I don't want your money!" she explained. "I just want me hat back!"

Marius handed the hat to her, the girl then started walking away. "Wait! What's your name?" 

_The urchin turned around and smiled in a friendly manner. "Name's Éponine Thenardier!" She performed a very over done curtsy, "not that you'll probably ever see me again Monsieur."_

"Why not?" Marius asked the gamine whose smile had faded a bit.

_"You're very funny Monsieur! But even if you did see me again it's not proper for someone like me to be seen with you…" With that she started walking away again, perching the hat a top her fly away brown hair._

"For awhile there I was so sure I was never going to see her again," Marius finished, "Then surprisingly enough Gavroche convinced me to meet his sister on a bet from Courfeyrac, one of my friends…" Marius looked at Éponine.

"It was awkward at first but we became friends in a way…" Éponine finished. Cosette smiled at the two friends, still not sure how much she liked the fact that Éponine was or could still be in love with Marius.

Éponine now glanced at what Marius had gripped in his good hand, "You..." she laughed before grabbing the item from his grasp. "You had my hat?" She laughed a little bit as she put the hat on to her head. Of course now with her clean face and dress it looked a little odd.

Cosette looked at the gamine oddly, "Éponine? Are you sure you want to keep that?"

"Well it's the only thing I got left thas' mine..." Éponine shrugged, she took the hat off. "I mean I'm gonna need ta' leave aren't I?" As much as Éponine had liked having a warm bed and nice clothes, she felt very much like she didn't belong.

Cosette looked at the urchin wide eyed, "We will not turn you out!"  
"But I..." Éponine started but was cut off.  
"It does not matter what you say, what you did a few days ago or ten years ago does not matter to me," Cosette looked kindly at the urchin.

Éponine didn't know what to say, "So you mean we'll start over?" she asked warily, she looked from Marius to Cosette.

"That's exactly what I mean, we can all start over... The three of us."


	4. Chapter 4

Éponine examined her reflection in the mirror, in the two weeks since her arrival Cosette had been loaning her dresses. Now she was wearing a brand new dress, at first Éponine had refused the gift, saying that they were being much too kind, but now she had accepted it.  
"About ready Éponine?" Cosette asked as she passed by the room. Since both the gamine and Marius had received injuries on the barricade they had both been barred from doing any strenuous activities.  
Or as Éponine called it, "not allowed to do anything fun." She had gotten very restless being cooped up in the house, now she had the chance to get out and she was going to take it.

"I am ready whenever you are…" Éponine replied, she had been working desperately to improve her speech as well.

"Well come along then! After all you were desperate to get out weren't you?" Cosette laughed softly.

The group had decided to enjoy the Luxembourg Gardens. Cosette's father (although somewhat reluctantly and after much convincing) let her go without him because of the company of Marius and Éponine.

Éponine was standing at the edge of a small pond with a flat stone in her hand. A few feet away Cosette was twining flowers together while Marius was leaning against a tree reading aloud from one of his books. Éponine looked away sadly, although her relationship with Cosette was improving she still had some feelings for Marius. Taking the stone in her hand she aimed it and skipped the stone across the pond's glassy surface.

"That was very impressive, Mademoiselle," a voice spoke to Éponine, "a trifle unladylike, but impressive nonetheless…"

"Who's you to tell me what ain't proper?" Éponine cut the voice off fiercely and she turned around finding herself face to face with a young man, who had bright blue eyes and sandy colored hair.

Éponine asked incredulously, "Who are you?" she tried to compose herself once more.

"Sorry to have disturbed you, Mademoiselle, I am Daniel Lestat." He held his hand out to her.

Éponine took his hand in greeting, "I'm Éponine Thénardier."

For a moment they both were silent, Daniel bent over and picked up a stone and attempted to skip it. It barely skipped once before sinking to the murky bottom of the pond.  
Éponine giggled. "That was pitiful, 'ere let me show you." She picked up a stone. "You gotta make sure it's nice and flat, that way it'll skip…"

She showed the young man her stone. "When you throw it make sure it's level with your waist…" She angled her arm. "then you throw it." The rocked skipped a good distance across the pond, dusting off her hands Éponine smiled. "See?"

Daniel picked up another rock and turned it over in his hand, "I think I've got it…" Copying Éponine's movements he threw the stone, it skipped nearly as far as Éponine's had.  
"Well done Monsieur…" Éponine nodded, "fast learner."

"Or a good student…" Daniel smiled, "I'm a student at the university here, studying law." He picked up another stone, "I hope to take the bar soon…"

Éponine felt a knot in her chest at the mention of him studying law, "I used to know students at the university… A lot of them studied law…"

"They used to go to the university?" Daniel asked turning the stone over in his hand, "Did they already pass their exams?" He made a note of Éponine's use of the past tense.  
Éponine swayed on her feet nervously and rubbed at her arms, "I… I'd rather not talk about it." She glanced up briefly to see a dark look on Daniel's face as well.

In fact, Daniel knew how she felt- he had returned home for his youngest sister's birthday before the fighting broke out, then was forced to stay on his parent's orders. It was there he had heard about the deaths of his friends that had fought on the barricade. He knew that had he been in Paris he would have fought, and perhaps died alongside them. Taking the stone that was still clutched in his hand he threw it once more, he looked to see Éponine smiling a little bit.  
"You're getting better at it…" She commented.

"You are an excellent teacher, Mademoiselle." Daniel returned to his happier nature, and Éponine blushed and bit her lip, never had such a man taken an interest in her, and to flatter her so?  
"Well it's not that great of a skill…" She shrugged.

Marius had put down his book and looked up to see Éponine chatting amiably with a young man.  
"Well, it seems 'Ponine has attracted someone's attention." He nodded toward the gamine who was laughing.

Daniel looked at the couple who had been trying to watch them inconspicuously.  
"Friends of yours?" he laughed.

Éponine glanced over his shoulder, looking away as she felt embarrassed and tried to ignore them.  
"Yes… You see we finally were able to get out for a little while today… The three of us…" She knew that she had no need to mention her injuries or of how she had received them.  
Daniel looked at Marius. "Funny… He looks familiar, did he go to the University too?"

"Oh yes he went to University, we used to live next door to each other but then…" Éponine stopped before she could say anymore.

"You seem to have quiet the story to tell… Why do you keep stopping?" Daniel asked a tad confused.

"I… I…" Éponine was at a loss for words, she couldn't just tell him about her life as a gamine who stole and was forced to sell herself for a living. Taking a deep breath she replied, "Well it was very nice meeting you Monsieur Lestat-"

"Call me Daniel." He interrupted.  
"Daniel… But I'm afraid I must be going now…" Éponine quickly walked away not sure what else she could do. Things like this never happened to her before, so she made her way over to where Marius and Cosette were, unaware that Daniel was not too far behind her.  
When she was about to sit beside Cosette and Marius, Daniel spoke up. "Mademoiselle, I think you dropped this?" He held out a handkerchief.

"No I didn't…" said Éponine flustered as she hadn't a handkerchief to carry… She could just barely make out the monogram containing Daniel's initials.

Daniel could see her eying the handkerchief he sighed. "Alright, I have been caught…"  
"I'm sorry for intruding upon your conversation like this but I was having a most intriguing conversation with your friend here." He put the handkerchief back into his pocket and looked towards Éponine.

Her face flushed scarlet and she bit her lip, out of the corner of her eye she could see Marius making a poor attempt to suppress his laughter, Éponine glared at him.

"I'm Daniel, Daniel Lestat." He introduced himself to Marius and Cosette. "Well, would you like to join us for now?" Cosette offered. Éponine was about to protest but knew it would be a worthless attempt.

"It would be my pleasure, Mademoiselle…" Daniel stopped.  
"Cosette." she finished for him with a smile. Daniel then looked to Marius, "I'm Marius Pontmercy." The two young men shook hands.

"Pontmercy… I thought you seemed familiar…" Daniel sat down amongst them.  
"Really?" Marius asked, intrigued.

"I must have seen you around the university I suppose…. Definitely heard your name before on more than one occasion…" Daniel replied.

"Well I'm afraid I have never heard yours before." Marius smiled.  
Daniel turned towards Éponine. "Well, Mademoiselle? Are you going to sit down?"

Éponine looked around, she hadn't really taken notice to the fact that she was still standing and with a sigh she lowered herself down.  
"For being so talkative before you sure have become quiet…" Daniel mused, Éponine just picked a couple of clovers that had grown nearby.

Daniel leaned over to her. "I'm sorry if I have made you uncomfortable, Mademoiselle…"  
Éponine shook her head but still didn't say anything, part of her wanted to stop him and this whole "mademoiselle" business. She may look like a lady but she did not feel like it on the inside.  
"It's alright, monsieur." She answered him quietly.

Daniel's smile brightened. "Wonderful…"  
Then the clock chimed, announcing the time and Cosette sighed.  
"I'm sorry but we best be off… My Papa will wonder where we have all disappeared to."

"Well, Au voir to you three," Daniel nodded to them before getting up to leave. "I hope to see you again soon…"  
He once again looked to Éponine. "Thank you for your company earlier." Daniel then walked along the path and out of sight.

"'Ponine are you alright?" Marius looked to his friend. "You seemed so happy before…"

"It's nothin'… Really…" She replied and with that the three of them left the park and started their journey back to Rue Plumet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
It was almost dark by the time Daniel reached his flat on Rue de Richelieu. When he got inside he picked up some matches he kept on a nearby table, from there he lit a single candle that sat on top. Looking around he realized just how empty his flat was and how alone he felt. His flat mate and good friend Joseph de Reuilly had been killed on the barricades, it was upon his return from Marseilles that Daniel had come to identify the body of his friend.

He lit the stove that was in the corner of his flat to provide a touch more warmth and light, but even after doing so there was a certain darkness that seemed to linger in the room. Shrugging off his coat he draped it over the back of a chair, and then loosened his cravat. Sinking into the chair he picked up the book on Rousseau he had been reading and attempted to focus. He could not, shutting the book he put it away and walked over to the window, staring out into the night sky and down to the darkened street below.

Shaking his head he replayed today's events in his mind, specifically the shameless flirting with Éponine. Of course he hadn't really meant anything of it, but her reaction was rather humorous. It seemed odd, she was not unattractive and yet she seemed like she was not used to that sort of attention.

What really struck him were her eyes, dark brown, nothing special… But they seemed like they had seen an entire lifetime… Éponine could not have been more then seventeen years old. She also seemed very guarded; he had never seen a girl that was so secretive before. Trying not to think about it he backed away from the window, instead he decided to work on the essay that was due at the end of the week. It would be better to start on it now before it got to be too late.

~~

Upon her return to Rue Plumet Éponine did not speak about young Daniel Lestat, neither did Cosette nor Marius. This did not bother the former gamine, one bit, even though he was quite handsome she found him bothersome, and somewhat nosy. Or at least that's what she told herself to believe, "needs ta' no all about me…" she grumbled that night as she readied for bed. She was looking at her reflection again, this time in nothing but her chemise. Daniel had thought that he was speaking to a lady, possibly even a bourgeois one…

Éponine knew better, looking at her body made that almost painfully clear. Underneath her dress not only did she hide the scar from a bullet that almost took her life, there were others as well. Ones from men who had paid her father to have their way with her, ones from Montparnasse's beloved knife, others from her father's countless beatings. Most of them had healed over time and were hardly even visible, but Éponine could see them. Deep purple bruises up and down her arms, angry wounds that would drip scarlet onto her skin. She could still see all of them within her mind's eye. She wasn't a lady, good food and pretty dresses could never change how she felt about herself… Dirty, disgusting… Now it was too late for anything to be changed, nothing had the chance of being changed anymore. The reason she had loved Marius is because he was so kind to her, he knew all about her life and yet he didn't shy away. He still treated her well, like a good friend, he cared…

These thoughts brought hot tears to her eyes, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Walking over to the wardrobe she pulled out a dressing gown, even if she could better her life she really couldn't be more than a filthy street rat. That was her life, her destiny, a terrible cruel fate, she knew that now. Even though her life had improved over these short weeks, she couldn't continue her stay on Rue Plumet forever… And after Cosette and Marius married? Then what would she do? She had to get out on her own, make a good honest living.


	5. Chapter 5

Éponine walked into the library where Marius was reading, quietly she approached him, "Bonjour Monsieur Marius."

Marius put down his book and smiled, "You know we've been over this many times."

"I know," she interrupted him, "sometimes old habits die hard," she felt so nervous, as if a million butterflies flitted about inside of her. "Marius,I need your help..."

Marius's smile changed to an expression of worry, "Éponine what's wrong?"

Éponine's gaze had shifted toward the bay window then back towards Marius, "I need to," she took a breath, "I can't stay here."

"What?! But 'Ponine!" he started.

"No! Please understand!" Éponine cut him off once more, "please," a nervous habit she had as a child of wringing her hands had returned. "What I meant was, I want to find a job, a good job."

She could see that Marius now looked relieved, "well perhaps once the doctor decides you have recovered," he paused for a moment, "I may know of a place."

Éponine's eyes widened and a smile spread across her face, "Really?" she asked excitedly, "Oh thank you!"

Marius chuckled lightly at the gamine's child-like behavior, "Glad I could help you 'Ponine."

Éponine blushed as she smiled, once it faded she looked around the library, "Lots'a books here," she mused absentmindedly. She wandered over to the nearest shelf and glanced at the volumes that were lined up neatly.

Éponine shrugged and shyly smiled, "Well I'll see you later, Marius." and quietly left the room. Éponine would probably forever remain a puzzle to Marius. From the library window he could see her enter the garden and he watched her as she sat down on the bench in the bright summer sunlight. After helping to bring him and Cosette together, he wanted to do what ever he could to help his friend. "Poor girl..." he muttered to himself before returning to his book.

Éponine walked around in the garden, just a few weeks prior she had been outside these walls. Now seeing what it was like to be within them she felt like a caged bird. Thankfully she would be able to get out soon, Marius said he could help her to find a job. The only thing that prevented her from getting out sooner were her and Marius injuries. Even the excursion out to the Luxembourg gardens yesterday had put a strain on the two of them.

"It will not be wise for you to go out again so soon," M. Fauchlevent looked at Marius. Marius had brought up the topic of Éponine's plan to depart from Rue Plumet over supper, "in a week or so we can have the doctor return and look you over."

Éponine lowered her head, a week? She appreciated the kindness given to her during her time on Rue Plumet but the more time she spent here, the more she began to feel like she didn't belong, as if it was too good for her here.

That week was passing by very slowly so Éponine had now taken up browsing the books in the library. Some of which she had found to be interesting and filled with fantastic stories, while others seemed very dry and dull.

"I was thinking that perhaps we could look into that book shop I used to do translations for," Marius suggested, trying to help Éponine find something worthwhile to read amongst the large quantity of books.

"What if they won't take me?" Éponine asked.

"Well there are probably plenty of places that would hire you," Marius replied optimistically.

"'Ow's your shoulder?" Éponine glanced at Marius.

"Healing," he replied and absentmindedly touched his hand to it. "I still wonder who it was who saved me that night, and brought me here?" He then looked at his friend, "And you! It still amazes me that after all that you survived, and brought yourself here."

"I can still hardly believe it myself," Éponine looked to the ground and then back up, "At least we are alive." For a moment it felt as if some kind of darkness had gripped her from within, she could see the faces of all the young men, Marius' friends who had died on the barricade, in particular she could see Gavroche, little Gavroche.

"What happened to him," she said aloud, this thought had plagued her ever since she'd arrived at Rue Plumet, surely Marius must know. "How did 'Vroche die?"

Marius put his good arm around the gamine's shoulder, "He decided he wanted to help so he went to the other side of the barricade to collect cartridges from the fallen, and he was shot..."

"How could they do such a thing... Those bastards! To shoot a small boy..." Many different emotions were going through Éponine, ranging from despair to rage. Her eyes brimmed with tears that threatened to spill across her cheeks.

"I don't know 'Ponine..." Marius sighed.

"Monsieur Marius and Mamselle Éponine?" Toussaint was now standing at the door of the library.

"Yes?" Marius turned to answer the house keeper.

"Monsieur Fauchlevent has told me that the doctor will be coming here tomorrow," The old woman told them, then left them back to their browsing.

"If the Doctor comes tomorrow, then we should be able to go out on Friday," Éponine reasoned.

Marius shook his head, "I would not get your hopes too high, he may still say that we are not fit enough."

"Yet we could go and spend a day in the Luxembourg?" Éponine looked confused.  
Marius shrugged, "finding a job is a lot more difficult than going on a carriage ride to the park."

"You make it sound as if it's a grueling task," Éponine scoffed, "well sometimes it does feel that way," he sighed.

"I can handle anything!" Éponine smiled, Marius had to admit he admired her spunk.

"Oh I thought I would find you two here," Cosette came into the library, "Papa and I just got back, I assume Toussaint has spoken to you?" She unlaced her bonnet which she set down on one of the end tables. Éponine nodded, Cosette came over to her, "I know it may be a while before you do leave… But I do want to wish you luck on your search." She took Éponine's callused and boney hand, into her own soft, delicate one.

"Thanks Cosette," Éponine pulled her hand back, Cosette made no attempt to stop her, some uneasy feelings still remained between them. Only time would be able to tell if those feelings were to ever dissipate.

"You have healed well, I see no harm in being able to go out more frequently," The doctor cleaned his spectacles, "I do not want you to do anything that may be too taxing for you, just be careful."

Éponine nodded to his instructions, "I will… So M. Marius, how is he doing?"

"The young barrister is doing fine, much better than he was three weeks ago." the doctor began packing his bag, "I feel that he would be able to escort you just fine." He closed his bag with a final "click", "I believe that you should be completely healed within the next two weeks, then you should be able to do what you like."

"Thank you monsieur le Docteur," Éponine thanked the kindly old man. He just nodded to her and left the room.


	6. Chapter 6

September 1832

"I was so sure they would take you," Marius sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Éponine smiled weakly, the two walked past a dress shop, Éponine stopped and watched the shop girl inside for a moment.

"Would you like to try in here?" Marius asked, he then opened the door for Éponine.

"Bonjour mademoiselle, monsieur," The shop girl greeted them softly, "are you to see a dress for the lady?"

Marius couldn't help but think there was something familiar about this girl, "Oh no, she's just a friend," he explained. "But she would like to inquire about a job."

The girl looked at Éponine with her soft blue eyes, "I see…" she then brushed a strand of auburn hair away from her face, "can you sew?"

"A little," Éponine replied, she thought of the pretty little pieces of embroidery she had learnt to make as a child. Any real mending that had to be done was left a task for little Cosette while she lived at the Thenardiers. Éponine had learned a little about regular sewing in order to keep her clothes from getting into a truly wretched state of disrepair, but that was all.

"I do not make final decisions here," the girl explained, she then quickly ducked into the back room of the shop. She emerged a few seconds later with a small swatch of muslin, different colored threads, and a needle. "Here take this, make a sample of your embroidery and do some hemming," the shop girl explained as she handed the cloth to Éponine. "Bring it back and I'll have Madame D'Auvergne look at your work," the grisette added.

A loud voice came from the back of the shop, "Mademoiselle Latour!"  
The shop girl sighed, "I have to go, but bring that back tomorrow!" She then went into the back of the shop to speak with the owner.

Marius and Éponine left the shop, but Marius looked confused, "What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Mademoiselle Latour," He muttered, "it can't be…"

"Marius? Monsieur Marius?" Now Éponine was confused as well, what on earth could he possibly be talking about?

"That girl back there… She seems so familiar," he shook his head.

"How?" Éponine asked.

"Courfeyrac's mistress was a seamstress by the name of Mirabella Latour, I was rooming with him when they first met," Marius explained to her.

"So, that girl back there, Could be her?" Éponine asked shocked, she always thought Courfeyrac was one to have many mistresses… Not just one.

"Possibly, I never knew where she worked," Marius shrugged, "the only girl he ever loved…" he muttered to himself.

That night Éponine worked very hard on her sample, she received some tips from Toussaint and Cosette. This helped her figure out how to make her stitches small, neat, and appear more uniform, when she finished she looked at the sample and was very pleased with her handiwork. Tired from the work she set the finished sample aside and went upstairs, she could only hope that good things would come from tomorrow.

The shop girl handed the muslin sample to Madam D'Auvergne, who examined it closely. Mlle. Latour had already glanced at it, it was not bad, the quality was good, if she had some time to learn then the girl could be a proper seamstress some day.

"They're straight, small, embroidery is looks nice… You say this girl is out front?" Madame D'Auvergne asked the girl. "I'll go and speak with her; it could not hurt to have another set of hands around here." The shop owner left Mlle. Latour and went to speak with the prospective employee.

"Your work is satisfactory," Mme. D'Auvergne told the gamine, "hopefully with the help of Mlle. Latour you skills will improve, you will start on Monday." Éponine smiled, she had a job! Someday she would be able to have a flat of her own and be able to support herself, "thank you Madame!"

The older woman smiled, "It is no problem my dear, you do have some potential."

When they left the shop Éponine could not help but to embrace Marius, "We did it!" she cried out. When they broke apart Marius shook his head, " non… It wasn't 'we' it was you."

Éponine had not felt happiness like this in a long time, she knew that the road ahead of her was bound to be long and hard, but she was willing to take the chance. It gave her the chance to let her scars heal and disappear for good.

When Éponine arrived at the shop there was a different girl out in the front. "Hello, I've come to start work…"

Before the other girl could reply Mlle. Latour came out from the back of the shop, "I'll take care of her Adele," she turned to Éponine. "Come along then…"

"I thought you were the shop girl," Éponine told Mlle. Latour who laughed lightly at the comment. "I'm no shop girl, Adele had to visit her family so I was helping run the front as well as sew."

Éponine nodded, "So you are actually a seamstress?" she then asked.

"If I were not Madame would not have me teaching you, I am her best."

They had entered the back of the shop, there were different lengths of fabric all over the place, half made dresses, scattered notions, and a sewing machine in the corner. "Alright, we have an order that needs to be completed by the end of this week, a simple summer frock…" she giggled, "Whenever they say 'simple' they don't really mean it." She turned to a model that was wearing part of a pale blue gown, Mlle Latour then reached behind and grabbed the pieces that would make up the skirt.

"I just want you to baste this for now… It doesn't need to be permanent," Éponine picked up a needle and thread and did as she was told, once she was finished she was not sure what to do. "Mademoiselle…"

"Please, if we are to be friends then a simple Mirabella or Bella will suffice," the grisette answered without looking up from her work for a second.

"Mirabella Latour?" Éponine asked, she was not even aware that she had spoken the words aloud. "Yes, that's my name… What about it?" Mirabella was busy threading the machine.

"Cour… Marius! He knows you!" Éponine exclaimed, the older girl gave her an odd glance.

"Marius?" she asked, as soon as she did she remembered, Marius was Antoine's roommate for a short while. Antoine… Her beloved Antoine…. She was so much more than a mistress to him, he had even sworn to marry her. She remembered hearing of his death a little less than a month ago, it had left her feeling empty, no more than a shell of her former self.

November 1832

Mirabella wrung her hands nervously as she watched Éponine quietly hemming a gown, she bit her lip, her heart beating loudly in her chest. She had to tell someone, afterall it would soon no longer remain a secret, "'Ponine?" she called softly to the younger girl softly.

Éponine set down her her work and looked up at Mirabella, "yes?"

"I... I need to tell you something..." She twisted a finger in her auburn colored hair, she approached Éponine, "but you cannot tell anyone."

Éponine had only been working at the shop for about two months, during that time she tended to keep to herself. Why would Mirabella choose to share a secret with her? "I won't," she replied.

"I think I might be carrying... Antoine's child..." she whispered.

Éponine wanted to smile and congratulate her fellow seamstress, but this was a serious situation. The child of Antoine de Courfeyrac? It had to be since she refused to take another lover, her job might very well be on the line. "What are you going to do?"

A single tear fell down Mirabella's face, "I don't know..." of course the wise thing to do was to find some way to get rid of the child. Yet this was the last remnant of her lover, she had to keep it.

"You are the best seamstress, perhaps Madame will let you stay on..." Éponine shrugged, it was a possibility but it did not seem to be the best of plans. Mirabella lowered her head, her tears now leaving red tracks on her cheeks. Éponine gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "don't. worry Bella... We'll figure this out."

Mirabella sighed and put her hands on her stomach, about four months in and she could feel the telltale bump. "Oh 'Ponine I hope you are right..."

Just then the door swung open and Madame D'Auvergne entered, Mirabella quickly put her hands down to her sides. "Madame Lavoire has just come in with two more orders," she held slips of paper detailing each order and put them in Mirabella's hand. She saw the solemn looks on both the girls faces, "oh dear, Whatever is the matter?"

Éponine quietly returned to her work and Mirabella looked to the shop owner, "I..." she started nervously. Surely Madame would understand... she had taken her in when her mother died leaving her an orphan, perhaps not everything was lost. She glanced at Éponine who was looking at her wide eyed, "I... I'm to be expecting..." She noticed that the look on Madame D'Auvergne's face was similar to what Éponine's initial reaction had been, happiness that had to a grim look. "Oh dear, you poor thing... M. Courfeyrac's I suppose?"

Mirabella nodded, this was a signifigantly better response then what she was expecting from Madame, "shall I be needing to leave?" She asked.

"Leave? What are you talking about... Who would give you work in your condition?" Madame D'Auvrgne exclaimed.

Mirabella turned to her in surprise, "I can keep my job?"

"Of course, my dear do you think I would want to risk losing my best seamstress? But this is a dreadful situation." Madame D'Auvergne spoke thoughtfully. "We will eventually need to work something out... I assume we have a few more months before we haveany real concerns..."

Relief washed over Mirabella, out of the corner of her eye she could see Éponine smiling brightly, "oh thank you Madame!"

Madame D'Auvergne smiled and then looked at her seamstresses, "Now you silly things must get back to work!"

The girls giggled and immediately went back to their work, when Madame D'Auvergne went Back to the front of the shop Éponine started to giggle once more. "I suppose you could say that went well..." she shrugged.

Mirabella shook her head and smiled, in this day alone she had seemed to have formed an enjoyable friendship with Éponine. "Come, we really must get back to work; Madame will not be pleased."


	7. Chapter 7

October 12, 2009

Éponine had been putting the finishing touches on the Biology project she shared with Cosette in the living room, as they worked there was a knock at the door. Éponine turned to the door, instead of Toussaint opening it Mr. Fauchlevent opened it himself, standing there was a woman with close cropped hair and a briefcase in her hand. "Hello, I'm Estelle Matrin with Child Protective Services, I belive you called us the other day... Mr Fauchlevent?" she looked at a sheet of paper in her hands and back to Mr. Fauchlevent.

"Yes I did," Mr. Fauchlevent let Estelle into the house.

"This is about gaining custody of the Thenardier children?" Estelle continued with her questions, "are all three of them here right now?"

Éponine completely stopped her work and focused on the conversation that Mr. Fauchlevent was having with with the woman from Child Protective Services

"Do you have a room so I could speak to them one at a time?" Estelle asked, Mr. Fauchlevent pointed to his study.

"Who would you like to talk with first?" Mr. Fauchelvent asked.

"The oldest, Éponine? You said she has a black eye?" Estelle looked at her paper again, "yes, I'll speak with her first.

Mr. Fauchelvent walked over to the two girls, "Éponine? This woman would like to speak to you."

Éponine stood up and walked over to the woman, she followed her into Mr. Fauchelvent's study, they both sat down and looked at each other.

"Hello Éponine, my name is Estelle, Mr. Fauchlevent called us to see if we could help you," Estelle explained with a friendly smile.

Éponine did nothing of the sort to introduce herself to this strange woman, instead she waited to see what the woman had to say about the matter.

"Alright, what can you tell me about that black eye of yours? Where did you get it?" Estelle asked.

Éponine put her hand to her eye without even thinking about it, part of her wanted to lie, but she knew Mr. Fauchlevent wanted these people to help her and her siblings so lying was a bad choice. "My father... he hit me," she answered quietly.

"Alright," Estelle started taking notes, "is this the first time he has hit you?"

Éponine shook her head, "no."

"When did this begin?" Estelle asked.

"I was in 6th grade, that's when it started, it didn't start getting bad until 7th and 8th grade," Éponine explained while she watched Estelle take her notes.

"Alright, is this the worst it's ever been?" Estelle looked at Éponine.

Éponine took in a deep breath, "n-no..."

Estelle put her pen down briefly, "so why has this never been brought up with Child Services before."

Éponine didn't want to look at Estelle directly, "I've always been able to hide it," she explained.

Estelle picked up her pen again and made a few more notes, "I see, why did you hide it?"

"I-I didn't want my friends to worry about me," she still didn't dare look at Estelle who pursed her lips as she continued to write more notes.

A few hours later Estelle had finished questioning the Thenardier children thoroughly, after that she pulled Mr. Fauchlevent into the study to speak with him.

"They are all showing signs of abuse, the younger two seem to have suffered more from neglect and emotional and verbal abuse, the older seems to have suffered the same and physical abuse." she explained to Mr. Fauchlevent, "it seems that when ever her father or anyone else tried to hit the other two she would step in and stop it, getting beaten in the process."

"I see," Mr. Fauchlevent replied nodding his head, "so what is to be done."

"We will look into the matter some more with the parents," Estelle explained, "then since it is very unlikely that it will be proven they have not been abused put into foster care."

Éponine had been sitting next to Cosette while they stood near the door eavesdropping on the conversation, she gripped at her friends hand in fear.

"Instead of being put into the system, is there anyway they could remain here with us?" Mr. Fauchlevent asked, "I would be willing to be the guardian of those children."

Estelle sighed, "you are not on our records as part of our system in the New York area, it's unlikely that any of my superiors would let you do something like that."

"Please," Mr. Fauchlevent asked.

"I'll see what I can do," Estelle replied, she then clicked her briefcase shut, immediately Éponine and Cosette backed away from the door and returned to what they were doing.

Estelle bid them all a good evening and left the house, they could hear her car backing down the driveway and into the street. Once they heard that noise then tense feeling that hung in the air immediately began to dissipate.

"I hope they don't put you in foster care," Cosette replied sounding worried.

Éponine agreed, she had heard plenty of horror stories about the system, it was another one of the reasons that she tried to never speak about the abuse to anyone that she knew. "Maybe we should distract our selves," she suggested.

"Pizza and a movie?" Azelma cut in.

At the mention of pizza Gavroche looked over at them, "you're going to order pizza? Can I get in on this?" he asked.

Éponine laughed and gave her younger brother a hug, he desperately tried to escape her grasp, "no more hugs!" he complained.

Éponine smiled at him, "you can join us if you really don't mind watching a chick-flick."

Gavroche wrinkled his nose, "a chick-flick? Yuck!"

The three girls laughed, "oh come on let him watch," Azelma sighed, "I know he likes Princess Bride!"

"Princess Bride?" Gavroche asked excitedly, "that's not a chick-flick!" he then pretended to brandish a sword. "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!" He ran at Éponine and started tickling her.

"No! Gav stop!" she pleaded all the while laughing, she did everything in her power to avoid being tickled but was failing.

"Who will join me on my conquest?" Gavroche declared as he tickled Éponine's weakest point, the back of her neck.

"Gav, please! That's not fair!" she complained as Azelma and Cosette joined in their tickle fight.

It didn't take long before they were all sprawled out on the floor feeling exhausted, Éponine clutched at her stomach which ached from all the laughing she had done. She slowly sat up and turned to Gavroche who was trying to catch his breath, "wanna call it a truce?" she held out her hand to him.

Gavroche huffed but he shook her hand, "alright, a truce... So can we still watch the movie?"


	8. Chapter 8

The day after the party Éponine was woken up by Cosette, "Merry Christmas!" she spoke cheerfully, "wouldn't you like to see what Father Christmas brought?" she spoke smiling.

Éponine was confused, "what are you talking about? Father Christmas?"

"Well how do you know he did not bring gifts?" Cosette giggled.

"'Cause he's a myth, and I don't think I should be considered a good girl," Éponine explained.

"Myth or not you should come on downstairs, Toussaint has prepared something special for breakfast," Cosette pulled back the curtains from the window letting light enter the room.

Éponine got herself out of bed washed her face in the basin on the dressing table. The cold water sent a shock through her that instantly woke her up, she dried her face off, got dressed and headed down the stairs. She could smell the warm and inviting aroma of freshly baked croissants. It brought back some memories of the Christmases of her childhood. Then she remembered that, as she and Azelma enjoyed the treats, Cosette had been shivering in rags and starving.

She quickly tried to push that image away in order to take in what was before her, along with the croissants there were a couple of varieties of jams, preserved fruits, and a pot of tea on the table. She sat at the table and she was joined by Cosette, Marius and Cosette's father M. Fauchlevent. They all ate their meal in almost silence, Éponine was now very thankful she was not to be spending the holidays alone. She spread some jam on top of her croissant and bit into it, it was soft and very flaky, nothing like the scrap of moldy black bread she had eaten last Christmas.

"Merry Christmas!" A girl about twelve years of age greeted Daniel, her brown hair was in a simple plait tied with a blue satin ribbon that matched her dress. She ran up to the older boy and flung her arms around his waist.

Daniel returned the embrace, when they broke apart he ruffled his youngest sister's hair, she gasped then quickly rearranged it. "Whatever was that for?" she complained.

Daniel simply shrugged his shoulders, "Because you happen to be my beloved youngest sister?"

The girl frowned at him and went off to the parlor, Daniel laughed as she walked away, he loved all his sisters dearly but Rosalie was his favorite. As he continued walking through the house , he suddenly heard the heavy footsteps and deep booming voice of his father, Victor Lestat. "There you are!" he happily greeted his only son.

"It will be very nice to have you here for the holidays," his mother Madeline Lestat spoke. She was a small delicate woman with a soft voice in contrast of her husband. "I know the girls will be very pleased to see you."

In Victor Lestat's family there were four children: one son, Daniel, and three daughters, Clarise, Elisabeth and Rosalie. They were a very prominent family in Marseilles and in many social circles and their home rested on a very large plot of land that Daniel would eventually inherit and have to manage, even though he did not wish to do so.

"I was going to join Rosalie in the parlor..." Daniel started, he knew that his youngest sister desperately wanted to know what she had received for Christmas.

"Ah the curious little sprite, that one is," his father laughed, it was true that Rosalie was very much a tomboy and rather adventurous while Clarise and Elisabeth were extremely prim and proper. Daniel could not help but smile a little at his father's comment.

"Well then I suppose we should not make her wait?" he asked as he walked to the parlor. Inside he could see the room was decorated in bright and festive ribbons with delicate paper flowers. Also around the room were hung small sprigs of mistletoe in order to provide the family with good fortune in the coming year. Rosalie was quietly waiting on the couch and pretending that she was not restless even though she clearly was.

"Can we start?" she pleaded to her mother, it was always a family tradition to open Christmas presents together.

"Clarise and Elisabeth are not down here just yet, ma petit," her mother answered her. Daniel had to suppress a laugh when he noticed that Rosalie was scowling, but not long after the two older girls entered and sat beside Rosalie.

Then one at the time various members of the family would pick up one gift at a time and open it, at the end of it all there was paper and ribbon on everyone's laps. Then Daniel remembered, he withdrew three boxes from his coat pocket, and he handed one to each of his sisters. Inside each of the boxes contained a simple, but beautiful pendant on a lovely silver chain. Rosalie's eyes widened, "It's beautiful!" She went to embrace her brother once again, then she looked back at the pendant, "It almost reminds me of that fan you gave me for my birthday.

Daniel froze, he had forgotten about that... Rosalie's birthday was the last time he had been in Marseilles, right before the insurrection broke out and his parents would not let him return to Paris until they had heard news that it had been settled for the most part. Now he clearly remembered that fan he had given her, it was hand painted with pretty little cherry blossoms, he remembered where he bought it too. It was from a young working man with blonde hair and blue eyes, he was also very intelligent, he had met the workingman on more then one occasion and they had some discussions ranging from Voltaire, to the the Rights of Man. He had wanted to purchase fans for all of his sisters for Christmas because they were so beautiful but he could not find the man, later he learned that he had been killed on the barricades too.

"So have you found some pretty girl to settle down with?" his father asked him with a smile.

For some reason an image of Éponine flashed through his mind and he blushed, "Nice girl, I suppose?" his father asked.

"I have not found a girl," Daniel replied, his father seemed a little let down with this news, Daniel was a handsome boy and very smart, he reminded Victor very much of himself when he had been a young student in Paris. Although his marriage to Madeline had been arranged by their parents, he wished for Daniel, as well as his daughters to find love for themselves.


	9. Chapter 9

Marius eyed the list of his grandfather's friends he was supposed to invite to his wedding, he scarcely knew who half of them were.

"Is everything alright?" Cosette asked as she entered the study, Marius sighed and shook his head.

"My grandfather is insisting we invite all his friends and other members of high society," he grumbled scanning through the rather extensive list once again, a name caught his eye. "The Lestat family of Marseilles..." Marius muttered, "could they be..."

"I'm sure there are plenty of Lestat families all over France..." Cosette turned to him guessing what he was thinking. "Besides 'Ponine doesn't seem too fond of him."

"When is the last time she saw him?" Marius asked confused only recalling the day at the park many months back.

"Apparently nearly everyday, they live in the same building," Cosette explained to him.

"On Rue de Richelieu?"

"Well that is where she lives..."

Marius looked at the name on the list, part of him wanted to invite Daniel because he seemed nice enough and he didn't want Éponine to pass up something that might be good for her. After all if she did approach him about it later he could always say it was simply because they had met at the University... No she would never fall for it, he was going to need to think of something significantly better then that.

"She also seems to dislike him," Cosette added.

"Why is that?"

"She told me she found him to be arrogant and bossy," she explained.

Marius chuckled, "She's just being stubborn, she says things like that all the time when she does not want to admit the truth."

Daniel read the letter he held in his hands once again, he was being invited to a wedding... The wedding of the girl upstairs friends... It did not make much sense, of course he had met the couple once but the meeting was brief. Not exactly something that would make him be qualified to be at their wedding, at least that was what he thought. Sure, he could turn down the invitation, but there was a note scribbled at the bottom.

"Éponine will be there and would like to see you."

This also didn't make sense simply because he saw her practically everyday, after all she did live in the flat above him. Also half the time she never really seemed particularly pleased to see him. He sighed, what was he to do? Of course was not really some horribly vexing moral dilemma... But right now it sure felt that way. His eyes drifted to the ceiling as he thought about Éponine, of course she had returned home by now and who knew what she was doing up there, she certainly was a dreamer.

Éponine stood to the side as she watched the guests dancing happily, so far no one had asked her to dance and standing here was making her feel flustered. She wrung her hands nervously and glanced around at the crowd that was present for the festivities, many being the same from the Christmas party.

As Marius and Cosette finished dancing he looked over to see Éponine standing alone, he frowned a little. He had never received a reply from Daniel so figured that he would not be there. Seeing his friend alone like that saddened him greatly, then as he spin Cosette one last time he caught a glimpse of sandy colored hair not too far away from Éponine. The music ended and everyone stopped dancing for a moment and clapped for the band. Cosette turned to see what Marius was looking at and gasped.

"You did not..." she whispered, "you told me you were not going to do it... If 'Ponine finds out what you've done she'll-"

"she will never know," Marius whispered back and smiled, a little time and effort had proved that Daniel Lestat was related to the Lestat's of Marseilles, so he could have easy come by that invitation as opposed to the one he had sent to him directly.

Daniel glanced around the crowd, and noticed Éponine standing off to the side as well. Did he dare approach her? Part of him did not want to but something in his heart told him that he would like to ask her to dance with him. That part that felt it to be a bad idea won and he turned away from her, there was no point.

"Cosette my love, please excuse me for a moment," Marius whispered to her quietly, she looked at him confused. By the time she realized exactly what he was about to do it was too late to call out to him without drawing too much attention to her or Marius than there already was.

"Hello," Marius tapped Daniel on the shoulder, "would you come with me for just a moment?" He asked, Daniel said nothing but followed Marius until he was right behind Éponine. He then tapped her on the shoulder, "you both seem to need dance partners?" The two just stared at each other for a moment. But neither wanted to upset the groom, so they took his suggestion and together they went out onto the dance floor. While they were dancing they began to talk to each other, slowly and awkwardly simply because of the situation they had been thrown into.

"Why do you dislike me?" Daniel asked.

"What do you mean?" Éponine countered.

"You always ignore me, you never greet me when we see each other... We are neighbors..." Daniel replied.

Éponine was not sure what to say, her excuse that she had told both Cosette and Marius would not work here because she actually liked Daniel, he was not of a bad sort. "I..." She began, but did not know what else to say.

They continued to dance somewhat awkwardly when an older couple pushed past them towards Marius. She could not help but notice how gaudily they were dressed, they were just close enough that they could barely hear the conversation.

"Gavroche... And my poor daughter... My sweet Éponine... Gone, vanished, perhaps dead on the barricades too." He had a sniffle for good measure while his wife dabbed her eyes looking genuinely upset.

Marius was getting frustrated with the couple as they continued to tell their story, but he was hardly listening. He glanced at Éponine and saw that she had stopped her dance with Daniel to see what was happening. Then just at the farthest reaches of a crowd he could see a young girl, she looked just like Éponine but her hair was red and she had freckles across the bridge of her nose. Marius nodded to Éponine pointing in that direction, when she looked she gasped, quickly said something to Daniel and ran over to the girl.

"Monsieur?" Thenardier paused looking at him.

"Yes?" Marius replied.

"Besides all these hardships, perhaps you could spare a little?The Thenards have dropped out of society's favor..." He continued.

Marius had to get him out of here, he had to tell Cosette what he now knew, and had to keep 'Ponine safe... "Go away Thenardier, do you think I don't know who you are?"

"He's not fooled you idiot!" Replied Madame Thenardier knowing it was stupid to have used their son's and daughter's real names, "never mind, tell the boy what you know!"

Éponine hurried towards her sister, "'Zelma!" she cried out, she examined her sister, she still didn't look well but like her parents she was not wearing rags.

"'Ponine?" Azelma looked at her warily and then realized she did recognize her as her own sister. She started to cry, she flung her arms around her sister and sobbed on her shoulder. "Please don't make me go with them..."

Éponine hugged her sister and then handed her a handkerchief she had embroidered herself, "where are you going?"

"Papa wants to go to America," Azelma sniffled, "I don't want to leave..."

Éponine continued to hold her sister, then she smiled, "you could stay with me!"

Through her tears Azelma's eyes seemed to brighten at her sister's suggestion, "could I really?"

Éponine nodded, just then she could hear Marius speaking angrily with her parents, if they did not get out of sight soon they could both be in trouble, "come with me, quickly." She led her sister into the garden where there were even more guests mingling about, when they finally stopped Azelma took a moment to examine her older sister properly, she looked pretty. A twinge of jealousy inside made her wish she could look the same as her, but she still loved Éponine dearly.

"How did you get like this?" She asked, for she had not seen her sister wearing clothes so fine in a long time.

"Cosette gave this to me," Éponine looked at her dress, it was a stunning shade of purple, that stood out against the slight layer of frost that covered the outside surfaces. "But I found myself a job, a good honest job, a seamstess." she smiled, although things had not been quite the same around the shop since Mirabella had given birth to her son Antoine a mere two weeks prior.

"Why you are a propa' grisette ain't you!" Azelma smiled, while she was not dirty her face was still thin and frail looking. "But you sure you got space for me?"

Éponine thought about her sparsely furnished flat, she had slowly been adding to what had previously been there which was a table, bed, and chair. Now it felt more like a home, with a proper couch, spare blankets, among some of her other furnishings. It wasn't much but she was sure Azelma would not mind, "of course I do... Perhaps we could even find you a job?"

Azelma's green eyes widened, "really? Oh 'Ponine!" she hugged her sister again, then they heard raised voices. "Where's that good for nothing brat Azelma?" Monsieur Thenardier snapped in the distance. Éponine grabbed Azelma's wrist and they ducked into a small crowd of people as their parents angrily stormed past them and left. "Well even if we lost 'er it's one less mouth to feed..."

Madame Thenardier made a fist, "How dare you speak about your own daughter that way? She is all we have left!" she sniffled.

Monsieur Thenardier put his arm on his wife's shoulder, "Don't worry my sweet, we'll find her..." Then they left the party.

Azelma and Éponine ducked back inside but ran into Daniel, "Mademoiselle, would you please explain to me what is going on?" He stopped her.

She looked away from him, "I can't, you would not understand..." She started walking away, "Come on Azelma."

She glanced back at the young man and looked back to Éponine, "who is that?" she asked.

"doesn't matter..."

"Éponine!" Daniel called out to her, but she ignored him and walked away back into the ballroom.

"Éponine! Come quickly!" Marius called to her, he looked extremely flustered and out of sorts, Cosette stood by unsure of what was going on.

"Why?" Éponine asked, then she looked at her sister, "What about Azelma?"

Marius looked at the two girls, of course it was not necessary that they come with him and Cosette but it made him feel better knowing that if they were all together he would have to worry less about what their parents might do. "Yes, she is coming too, but we must go quickly." They all walked briskly out of number 6 rue de Filles Calvaire and hailed a cab.

"55 Rue Plumet," Marius instructed the driver, Cosette and Éponine gave him confused looks but he did nothing to explain.

When they pulled up to the house it was quiet and in the dying light it appeared to be very eerie, "where is your father's room?" Marius asked Cosette as he pushed open the gate which was surprisingly unlocked.

"In there," she gestured to a small dwelling that was separated from the house except for a small corridor, from a little window a faint glow seemed to flicker, it sent chills down Éponine's spine.

"How do we get in?" He asked.

"Inside the house, but surely it must be l-" Cosette started.

Marius had gone to the front of the house and tried the door, it creaked open, suddenly Éponine felt like she wanted to turn and flee but she continued to follow him. Once inside Cosette showed them to a small, plain door, it was opened ever so slightly, enough that they could hear someone speaking, it sounded like a prayer.

"Papa!" Cosette exclaimed in an excited whisper, she recognized his voice, she pushed opened the door and gasped rushing to her father's side. Marius followed her, Éponine entered the room but she pushed herself against the wall, the sight of M. Fauchlevent looking so frail scared her, it did not look like the same man.

"Papa, Papa, I do not understand, they said that you had gone away," she knelt by her father's feet.

He looked at her sadly, "Cosette, my child, am I forgiven now? Thank God I lived to see this day," he acknowledged her wedding dress.

Marius then turned to the old man, "It's you who must for give a thoughtless fool, it's you who must forgive a thankless man, it's thanks to you that I am living, and again I lay down my life at your feet." He then looked at Cosette, "Cosette your father is a saint, when they wounded me he took me from the barricade, carried like a babe, and brought me home to you."

Éponine was surprised, it seemed Marius had finally been able to figure out how he survived the barricades, a question that had been plaguing him for awhile. M. Fauchlevent... It was amazing.

Fauchlevent looked at Cosette, "Now you are here... Again beside me... Now I can die in peace for now my life is blessed."

Cosette had begun to cry, "You will live, Papa you're going to live, it's too soon to ever say goodbye..."

Éponine very much wanted to leave the scene that was unfolding in front of her, but some unseen force seemed to keep her locked into place.

"Does Cosette forbid me now to die... I'll obey, I will try" he placed one of his large hands on her cheek, with the other he held out a letter to her. "On this page I write my last confession, read it well when I at last am sleeping... It's a story of those who always loved you, your mother gave her life for you and gave you to my keeping." He handed Cosette the letter, the light from the candles that sat in two silver candlesticks cast a soft glow over the solemn scene. M. Fauchlevent looked up for a moment, "forgive me all my trespasses and take me to your glory..." He then looked back at Marius and Cosette, "and remember the truth that once was spoken, to love another person is to see the face of God." Then he took his final breath and closed his eyes for the last time.

"Papa?" Cosette's voice quivered in disbelief, fresh tears began to fall down her face, she let the letter fall from her grasp and onto the floor. What had bound Éponine to the wall seemed to break and she walked over and bent down to pick up the letter, she tried to hand it to Cosette.

"'Ponine... Please read it..." She begged.

Her mouth went dry, she went closer to the candlesticks so she could use the light, she carefully opened the removed the contents of the envelope, "My dear Cosette..." she began to read.

"Please do not be angry with Marius for anything he may have said as far as where I have been, I told him to keep it secret..." She looked up from the letter but Cosette urged her on. "I feel that I owe you an explanation..."

"I hope you will understand all that I did in my life, from your mother, to the Bishop who gave me those candlesticks, they belong to you now, I hope you can forgive me. The man you called you called your father, his name was Jean Valjean." Éponine folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. Cosette got up from where she had been sitting and walked over to her, Éponine placed the letter in her hands.

"Thank you..." she took the letter and held it to her chest.

A figure now stood in the doorway of the room where Azelma had been, it was a doctor, "M. Gillenormand had sent me to check on him again... But it appears that I am too late." He then shooed them all from the room. Instead of remaining in the house they quietly left and took the cab back to M. Gillenormand's house.

When they returned to rue de Filles Calvaire all the guests had departed because of the couple's sudden absence and the mood had died. The group parted ways with Marius paying the cab to take Éponine and Azelma back to her flat on rue de Richelieu.

"'Ponine are you alright?" Azelma asked.

"I will be.. I'm just surprised is all..." Her gaze seemed far off and distant.

"That man, he..."

"The one who took the Lark away?" Éponine asked, surprised her sister remembered, "Yes."

Azelma remembered how her father would continually prattle on about the poor millionaire who brought the in to ruin, "When we lost her, we lost everything! Thas' wha' Papa said!"

"No 'Zelma, you don't understand..." Her older sister shook her head.

Azelma took her hand, "Then please try ta' explain ta' ,me," she begged, "why did ya' disappear?"

Éponine sighed, "I went to the barricades, I wanted to die with Marius... He sent me away but I came back... I got shot and almost died," She twisted her hands. "I did not wake until after they fell, so I managed to get myself to Cosette's house. They took me in and helped me until I was able to fully support myself..."

The cab stopped in front of the building, the girls got out and Éponine led her up the stairs to her flat, "I know it's not much," she commented as she put her key in the lock. "But it should make do for now," she opened the door and let Azelma inside, Azelma gasped, "I was right! A real, propa' grisette!"

Despite all the sadness of the day Éponine could not help but smile, "Don't worry we'll make one out of you too."


	10. Chapter 10

Éponine fit Azelma into one of her spare dresses, she was taller and not nearly as skinny as her younger sister currently was, so it didn't fit quiet right, but it would do. She sat her sister in the chair and began to plait her hair, "what do you want to do with that dress?" She nodded to the dress Azelma had worn the night before.

Azelma turned her head towards the mass of satin and wrinkled her nose, "I don' want it... Suppose we could sell it?"

Éponine finished the plait and looked at the dress, it wasn't particularly pretty or well made... She might have better luck reworking it instead. She then handed her sister a piece of bread, "eat this, we need to go."

Azelma ate the bread enjoying it's soft texture as opposed to black bread, "come on you goose." Éponine called again giggling a little. Together they left the flat and went to Madame D'Auvergne's shop.

When they got there Éponine could see through the windows Adele fixing one of the models that stood there, she went to the door and led her sister inside, "good morning Adele." She greeted the shop girl as usual who did not look up from her task "is Madame here?"

The blonde paused for a moment, "she is in back," she looked at Éponine and noticed Azelma standing beside her, "who's this?"

"My sister Azelma," Éponine explained.

The shop girl smiled, "pleasure to meet you, my name is Adele."

Azelma simply nodded her head, "well I should take her to see Madame..." Éponine led her sister into the back of the shop where Madame D'Auvergne was going through some papers. She stopped when Éponine entered the room, "good you are here, now get to work... Who do you have here?" She took notice of Azelma.

"My sister Azelma, she needs a job," Éponine hoped she could get her one.

"Have you ever sown before my dear?" Madame D'Auvergne asked Azelma.

"Just samplers and dolls things," she replied nervously.

"Not much experience but it's a start..." Madame D'Auvergne mused, "with Bella out we do need help, perhaps when she returns we could put you out front?"

Azelma smiled not believing her luck, "t-thank you!" she stammered.

"Your sister will show you what to do, now get to work," Madame D'Auvergne returned to her papers while Éponine helped her sister get started on her work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
When it came time for them to close the shop Madame D'Auvergne handed Éponine a basket filled with cotton handkerchiefs and floss, "bring this to Bella, she asked for it."

Éponine took the basket, "what does she want this for? Hasn't she got enough on her hands?"

"She sent a note by with 'Chetta earlier, she apparently has too much time on her hands?" Madame D'Auvergne sighed, "if only my children had been like that..."

Éponine giggled at the old woman who just smiled kindly, "Come 'Zelma, we'll bring this to Bella."

She led the way to Mirabella's flat which was just outside of the Latin Quarter, when they knocked on the door they were greeted by a lovely blonde with large green eyes. She was Mirabella's flat mate and one of her dearest friends Musichetta Fontaine. She smiled at Éponine, "It looks like Madame gave you the message?" she looked at the basket the younger girl was carrying. "Come in then," she took the basket from Éponine and stepped from the doorway to let her and Azelma in. "Wait," she stopped The younger Thenardier and looked her over, "you two must be sisters..."

She nodded, "my name is Azelma."

"Musichetta, but you can call me 'Chetta," Musichetta's eyes sparkled.

"Is Éponine here?" an out of sight voice called out to them, the way Musichetta's and Mirabella's flat was arranged in such a way that there was a short corridor that led to the living room where Bella currently was. The girls walked down the hall into the space, Mirabella sat on the sofa with her baby in her arms.

Antoine Latour was named for his father, he was small and tended to be a quiet baby. He had blue eyes and the light freckles like his mother and had beginnings of dark hair with a slight curl like his father.

"He's going to be a handsome one he is," Éponine smiled. Mirabella smiled, "just like his father," she sighed a little.

"He better not have that same devil may care attitude," Musichetta shook her head, she had known Antoine Courfeyrac very well through her lover Laurent Joly who had also died on the barricades.

Éponine smiled, "It was nice to see you but we should get back before it gets too late, ready 'Zelma?"

Azelma nodded, "alright."

"Well goodnight girls, you really should come by soon," Musichetta replied going over to open the door.

"Yes, keep me from getting too bored," Mirabella turned back to them.

"Careful you may jinx yourself with that," Musichetta spoke as if it was a warning.

The girls went out and the sunlight was beginning to fade from red to purple, all the street lamps were lit as they walked to Éponine's flat.

Éponine dished out a bit of soup for her sister, she had some vegetables that she had purchased earlier in week but had not had a chance to use them until now, "a shop girl..." she spoke thoughtfully. "Honest, respectable, just like what you wanted," she smiled at her younger sister. "But we will need to work on cleaning up that argot of yours!"

Azelma blushed, "I know... 'Ow did you do it?"

Éponine shrugged, "not sure... I really just practiced is all, I'm still learning."

"Oh," Azelma sighed not feeling very hopeful.

"Don't worry about it, it will all work out," Éponine tried to cheer her up, "now eat your soup before it gets cold." She spoke in a motherly tone that Azelma had never heard her use before. The person stood before was not the same as the girl who had disappeared in June.

"'Ponine?" she spoke up.

"Yes?" Éponine had now helped herself to soup as well.

"I just wanted to say..." Azelma paused for a moment so she could attempt to put together her words properly, "thank you."

Éponine simply smiled to her in return, "we have to stick together don't we?"

After Azelma had fallen asleep on a small pallet that the landlady had brought from one of the unoccupied flats Éponine moved her sisters discarded ballgown onto her bed. She lay it out flat so she could examine it, there were ruffles everywhere which did not really suit Azelma. Shaking her head she put the dress away and decided to slightly alter one of her dresses for her sister to wear so that it fit her properly, maybe things could actually change and turn out well for all of them in the end.


	11. Chapter 11

March 21, 1833

While Azelma had gone straight to their flat after work Éponine had stopped at the bakery and the grocer, because of her stops by the time she had turned onto rue de Richelieu it had become dark. As she placed her hand on the door knob she heard a voice behind her, "Well it sure is nice to see you again 'Ponine." She turned to see Montparnasse leaning casually against a nearby lamppost, the redness of the rose in his buttonhole seemed to glow in the lamplight.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him coldly, she clenched her hands into fists which were mostly concealed by her skirts.

"Can't one stop by to visit an old friend?" he started walking towards her, slowly and menacingly, "After all... It has been a very long time... How is dear, sweet, little Azelma?"

_How did he know she was with her? _Éponine's heart beat fast, "go away." she tried to stay strong but her voice faltered slightly, Montparnasse chuckled at her nervousness.

He took a couple more steps forward so that he now towered over her, "I don't think I will," he raised his hand to her cheek, "my don't you look pretty..."

Éponine turned away from him, "Stop!" she pushed his hand away but he only continued now running down her neck to her collarbone. Then he took a step forward so that she was up against the wall, "You never used to complain... Maybe you need a reminder of your place?"

Between the cool bricks on her back and his hot breath on her face something deep inside her knew exactly how this was going to end. Then his hand was lifted away from her and brought back down hard against her cheek, when he pulled it away it stung.

"You may be wearing nice clothes and in a cozy nice flat, but you ain't nothing more then a stupid, worthless whore!" He spat at her. Éponine swung a fist at him into his shoulder, but he grabbed her arm and pushed her into the wall.

"Police!" she called out as loud as she could, she also wondered if upstairs Azelma could hear what was happening to her. That thought flew from her mind as she felt something cold pressed against her throat, it was the blade of his knife, her blood ran cold. Was this to be the end? Montparnasse twisted her arm behind her back and pressed her face against the wall, the rough surface of the bricks made small scratches on her face. The blade pressed deeper into her neck, it was grazing the surface and she could feel a slight trickle of blood coming down her neck.

"I know you wouldn't dare do that... I think you know what would happen if you did..." He pushed it in even closer. "Oh 'Ponine will you ever learn?" he spoke with a cruel laugh. She attempted to struggle with him and for a second was able to escape his grasp but he caught her and slammed her back into the wall. Her face felt tender and she was dizzy and disoriented, pain racked her body as he continued to beat her. She fought until it became too much for her, then she heard footsteps of someone running quickly, they grabbed at Montparnasse and pulled him to the ground. Éponine fell against the wall of the building sinking to the ground, tears mixed in with her blood.

"You leave her alone you sick bastard!" The man shouted as fought with the young assassin.

"Police!" Éponine called out with all the strength she had left, while the two men continued to struggle fiercely, in the distance a whistle could be heard and the hurried footsteps of two police officers. She was beginning to feel extremely lightheaded and her eyes slowly began to close as the officers approached.

The two officers didn't even seem to notice Éponine on the ground, they went straight for the two men and quickly pulled them apart. "What is the cause of all this disturbance?" One of the officers asked them.

"This man was attacking that poor girl," he nodded to Éponine, she blearily looked up at the young man thinking that he looked familiar, but she could not conjure a name.

Montparnasse struggled in the police officers grip, he had never been nabbed before... And now he was to be locked up for a stupid thing such as this.

"I know who you are..." one of the policemen frowned, "a part of Patron-Minette I believe."

"What is your name monsieur?" the other policeman asked the other young man.

"Daniel Lestat," he replied.

"What about the girl? Do you know her?" The policeman asked him.

"Her name is Éponine, Éponine Thenardier," Daniel replied, the poor girl looked to be in a very sorry state indeed.

"Well she was very lucky you were here," the other nodded, "We'll see to him... Goodnight."

When the police men walked away with Montparnasse in tow he bent down to check on Éponine,then he heard the door open. "Oh god... 'Ponine!" It was the girl that he had seen with Éponine at the wedding, but he did not know her connection to the grisette.

"What happened to my sister?" the ginger asked.

"She was attacked by someone... From some street gang..." He picked her up in his arms, she was very light and easy to carry up the stairs to her flat. Her sister opened the door for him and he went inside and gently placed her on the sofa.

She shifted ever so slightly and her eyes fluttered a little, then after blinking a few times she opened them blearily looking confused. She tried to put herself into a sitting position but found herself being pushed down by Azelma. "We need to find something to turn to bandages..." she muttered looking through the flat, she then found a little bit of spare muslin. "It's not much but it will have to do..." she sighed.

"I might have something," Daniel turned to her, "give me a moment," he left and went down to his own flat. Moments later he returned holding a white linen shirt, Azelma had already started wetting the muslin and dabbed at her sisters wounds. Éponine flinched with every touch and bit of pressure that was applied to her face, Azelma looked at the shirt. "Monsieur... I couldn't... It will be completely ruined!" she shook her head.

"It's all to help your sister, I want to see her heal properly as much you do," he already began ripping the shirt.

Éponine simply tried to remain still as they continued to help her clean her wounds, once the blood was wiped away they could clearly see bruises already blooming on her cheek and around her right eye. There were a couple of angry red lines that dripped a tiny amount of blood, when Azelma noticed this she frowned, it was obvious who the attacker was.

Éponine nodded silently, then she looked back up at the two of them, "Is it that bad?" she sighed, it wasn't as if attacks like this were new to her, but it had been quiet awhile since the last time and she had not been able to react fast enough to escape unscathed.

Daniel was very surprised at how easily she was taking the whole situation, most ladies that he knew would have fainted or been inconsolable. "He attacked you, of course it looks bad."

Azelma said nothing; her sister's attitude like that developed with the frequency of Montparnasse's beatings, but their neighbor did not need to know that.

"I would almost say that this has happened to you before..." Daniel studied her face then looked to her sister who's expression was nearly identical. "Mon Dieu! You don't mean it has?"

At long last Éponine's past had caught up with her, "Did you know that man?" Daniel asked.

"His name is Montparnasse, he's a part of Patron-Minette just like our father was..." Considering that their parents had left for America the ties to the gang must have been severed.

"Your father?" Daniel asked confused, "why would he want to associate with such people?"

Éponine couldn't help but laugh, "Whatever ideas you may have about my father, they must be incorrect, he was not a man of good standing by any mean." As Éponine explained Azelma just stood off to the side quietly not wanting to get involved, she could see tears starting to brim in her older sisters eyes. Some of her argot returned to her speech as she continued to get more upset, "a liar, a cheat, a bleedin' scoundrel who sold me out to the highest bidder." The tears slowly coursed down her bruised and swollen cheeks. "It wasn't always like this... But 'e was never a good man..." She saw the horrified expression of Daniel's face, "God why did I tell you that?" she began to calm down a little and the argot melted away.

"All that happened to you?" Daniel asked, Éponine nodded her head, "'Zelma didn't have it much better off... Bet if she had stayed she would have been whored out too. But we don't want your sympathy, what's done is done..." She shook her head, "you can't change the past."

"Is this why you said I wouldn't understand?" Daniel asked.

"As you have learned there is a lot more to me than meets the eye," Éponine replied, "and not necessarily in good way." She could scarcely believe what she had just admitted to him, and yet he wasn't shying away from her. Maybe he was more understanding then she thought he would be, maybe she could give him a second chance.

"I don't care," he replied, then he looked straight in her eyes, "Éponine Thenardier... I think I love you."

Éponine's eyes widened in shock, "What?" she could not believe what he had just told her, someone loved her?

"You heard me, I love you," he repeated.

"But Monsieur I-"

"Don't try to get me to think otherwise, I love you, it doesn't matter to me who you were or are," Daniel cut her off. "Now it's probably for the best that you get some sleep." He turned to Azelma, "I'll leave you two alone..." he nodded to the girls and left the flat.

There was silence for a couple minutes as Éponine continued to lay on the sofa pondering everything, then she slowly sat up and this time was not stopped by her sister. "I don't understand..." her comment was not directed towards anyone in particular.

Azelma looked at her confused, "What's not to understand? He loves you! He saved your life!" She shook her head, "Just 'cause no one's loved ya till now doesn't mean it has to stay that way."

Éponine furrowed her brow, Azelma spoke up again, "do you love him?"

The older girl thought about her sisters question, "I... I... Think so..." of course the feelings she felt for Daniel did not feel like what she had for Marius, but then she asked herself. _Had those feelings really been love? Had she ever actually been in love with him? With Daniel it seemed different, more whole... Perhaps it was because they both loved each other._

"Yes," she changed her answer, "I do."

"Good cause I would hate to see a nice fellow like that be heartbroken over you," Azelma giggled, "my, you've gotten yourself a nice life."

Éponine smiled a bit, then she tried to stand to take herself into the room she shared with her sister, her legs were a little unsteady so Azelma rushed to her side to help her. "You are not going to work tomorrow in your condition."

Éponine tried to protest but knew her sister was right, she took off her dress which now had dirt and blood on it from the attack. She checked her chemise which apart from having a little blood and a small tear, was intact.

"Go to sleep, I'll take care of everything, don't worry." Azelma instructed.

"I explained everything to Madame today and she says she wants you to come back when you are ready, she wants you to heal up," said Azelma as she entered the flat. Her arms were laden with provisions since the ones that Éponine had bought the day before had been dropped and lost during the attack. "How you feeling?"

"Better, sore but better, and bored out of mind," Éponine replied to her sister. She had moved the chair and was sitting there with a book in her hand, and to Azelma's surprise she had gone through the trouble of getting dressed.

"You haven't been resting have you?" Taking note of the fact that her sister had even attempted to put her hair up.

"I told you I was bored, besides I've been through worse," she shrugged it off.

There was a knock at the door, "who could that be?" Éponine wondered.

Azelma laughed, "Are you really so daft? Or did your brains really get rattled? It's probably our neighbor."

There was another knock, Azelma put down her things and went to get the door. "Hello Monsieur," she greeted him and let him into their flat.

"You know Mademoiselle you can call me Daniel, Monsieur is too stuffy... Too formal..." He smiled at her then looked to Éponine, "How are you?"

She sighed, "been better but it's not too bad..." She briefly glanced at him, he looked at her face, it wasn't terribly swollen but the bruises on her face looked extremely painful. Then the cuts on her neck were a dark red, they weren't very deep so the likes of them scarring seemed very slim.

She ran her thin fingers over the cover of her book almost nervously, "I wanted to... I wanted to thank you for saving me last night..." she blushed a little, admittedly she never liked being saved, believing she could care for herself. Still she couldn't help but think that if Daniel had not shown up she might have died at the hands of Montparnasse.

"It was no trouble," he rubbed his neck, Éponine could barely make out a couple of small bruises, apparently he had not gotten of without some injuries. She then looked at Azelma, and a silent conversation passed between them and her younger sister stepped out of the flat for a moment claiming she needed to have a word with the landlady.

"Daniel..." Éponine started, "I was thinking about what you said... Last night.."

Daniel couldn't believe his luck, of course he had just flat out admitted to loving her last night at a rather inopportune moment, and he had never received her answer.

"I think I love you too... But I don't know... I've never felt this way before..." She kept pausing her face slowly going more and more pink. "I've never been loved..." she swallowed, "but I suppose I should give it a chance..." She then smiled at him cheekily, "who knows, I might grow to like it."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I know this seems a little off topic and possibly more suited to a Barricade day Fic... But please just go with it...

* * *

June 6, 1833

Amongst Éponine's group of friends it had been decided that today was to be marked as a memorial to all their friends and loved ones who had died on the barricade last year. They made attempts to find all the graves for all their friends but knew it would be nearly impossible. Some had been buried back in their home towns, and others thrown into simple paupers' graves with many others who had fallen. They were lucky to have found all that they did. Now they had reached one of their last stops, this cemetery seemed to be the resting place of many of their friends including Prouvaire, Bahorel and others. So they split up and took to their own routes to pay their respects.

"How did you know him?" Éponine asked Daniel as the two of them approached the grave of Joseph de Reuilly.

"We were friends when we were children growing up in Marseilles, he went off to university a year ahead of me, because he was older, but we decided that when I got there we would then take up as flatmates ," he explained, "I would have fought alongside him... But some things got in the way, well I did not make it to Paris before the barricades fell." Then he turned to Éponine, "you know you've never told me about your story of the barricades."

Éponine rubbed her arms, "I suppose now is as good a time as any to tell you," she then sighed, "I was in love...Well I thought I was in love... With Marius..."

"Really now?" Daniel asked, only the slightest trace of a smile on his face.

"Yes..." She glared at him, "well all I wanted to do was to make him happy, so I did anything he asked... That's how he ended up with Cosette..." She pursed her lips a bit feeling embarrassed for some of her actions. "He asked me to take a letter to her; he wanted me to leave the barricade, so I did as he asked. But after delivering the letter I decided to return to the barricade."

"Were you mad?! That's insane!" He interrupted.

Éponine ignored him. "As I was climbing the barricade... I got shot..."

"That's awful, but it could not have been fatal if you are standing here before me," he embraced her feeling thankful that he had her.

"It wasn't exactly like that... I was shot in the chest, apparently they had tried to save me but thought I had died, I did not wake until after everyone had died and barricades had fallen, apparently the National Guard doesn't care about the corpses of street rats."

Daniel let go of her, "But how? How could you have survived?"

Éponine shrugged, "If I could tell you, I would, but I just don't know."

"Well it's not important, we are together and that's what matters," he replied.

"But if I had died we would never have met, you would not have known or cared..."

"And I would grow old and become a miserable old man, or some wretched layabout," Daniel cut her off.

"That's not true," she countered.

"You don't know that, it could have been, but now neither one of us will ever need to worry about it," Daniel added, "Should we go find the others?"

"I suppose," Éponine replied, then the two of them walked away from the grave site.

Mirabella stood in front of Antoine's grave with her son in her arms, "Oh I wish you were here to be a father to him... It's going to be awfully hard on my own with him." The baby gurgled a little, "I know that if he ends up being anything like you I'm going to have trouble... But I have 'Chetta and 'Ponine to help me out." Tears streaked down her cheeks, "why did you have to die Antoine?" she whispered quietly, "why?" after a few moments she collected her thoughts and lay roses across the grave, similar to ones he had often gifted to her, she sighed and shook her head.

She met up with Musichetta and soon after that Éponine and Daniel, it did not take long before the group was once again together. As they walked they stopped at one of the mass graves of the fallen, specifically to mourn Andre Feuilly, the fan maker. Surely he was interred in one of these without any sort of a name, eventually to be erased from history as if he never existed. As they continued Éponine noticed a child's grave, it was not lavish or fancy, it was plain and simple, the name had been long worn away with time.

"Wait, I want to stop here just for a moment," she called out to her friends as she approached the grave site, she gave a quick glance to Azelma who seemed to immediately understand what it was her sister wanted to do.

Éponine got down upon her knees near the head stone and withdrew something from her small bag, it was a slingshot she had purchased the week prior. "Gavroche..." she spoke to the head stone. "I know that I will never be able to truly find you but, I wanted you to know just how much I miss you."

In the distance her friends were listening to her heartfelt, one sided conversation, the way she spoke as if Gavroche had been standing right next to her. "Azelma and I are getting along fine," she smiled and laughed weakly, "we flew the coop just like you did, only know I wish that I had done it sooner, you were right I need to listen to you more often... You have good advice." She continued to speak, she was also getting a little teary, "Oh God..." she sighed, "my petite- Gavroche... How could this have happened to you? Why you and not me?" Her tears flowed freely now and she made an attempt to wipe them away. "I know, I know, you don't want me to cry because I'm stronger than that..." she paused for a moment and looked at the slingshot she was still holding.

"I almost forgot, this is for you," she lay the slingshot down onto the stone, "figured you would like it more then flowers... Just don't hit any people with it alright?" she added with a scolding tone, "perhaps we'll talk again soon... Or if not, then the same time next year."

She felt a hand being placed on her shoulder and turned to see Azelma standing behind her, "I miss you too little brother," she added quietly.

Éponine stood up and hugged her sister tightly, "It'll be alright 'Ponine," Azelma tried to comfort her sister when in fact she didn't feel much better herself, "we still have each other in the end." And together they walked away from the unknown child's grave and rejoined their somber party of friends.

When they all approached Alexandre Enjolras's grave there was silence, it was a plain grave that had nothing more then his name, years, and a little about his family. Looking at the bottom there was small epitaph that seemed like an afterthought because it had nothing to do with Enjolras's ideals. Clearly his family wanted him remembered (after all the Enjolras name was strong one), but because of his participation in the insurrection he didn't merit being buried with the rest of his family.

They had done their best and at the end of the day many tears were shed. In order to try and lighten their moods they went to see the Cafe Musain, which had been rebuilt. Entering it there was a sort of ghostly air about it Éponine thought, recalling that the last time she had been there was a year ago and she had been lying on a table and thought to be dead. She could see a look of nervousness on Marius's face, he almost looked as white as a sheet, and judging by the silence from the rest of the crowd she wondered if they had made poor plans in coming here.

"Monsieur Marius Pontmercy?" A young woman with frizzy brown hair approached him, immediately he recognized her, "Louison?" he asked.

She nodded her head, "Are you the only one who?" she stopped, "oh it's just awful... I knew when they fell and that I never saw 'em again... But now seeing you!" She smiled. "I would suppose you and your friends here would like a table?"

"Yes we would," He had regained some of his color, "thank you Louison."

"No problem Monsieur," she nodded and gestured for him to follow her to the back room.

"This is eerie," Éponine whispered to Marius, when they entered, the room looked practically untouched, of course she had scarcely ever been in the back room but she couldn't help but think it was as if at any moment she was to expect Courfeyrac to come bounding in. Or that she could see the shadow of Enjolras feverishly working on some sort of a speech or essay, none of the rest of their friends seemed to notice this or say anything.

It was a quiet evening, no loud laughing, nor rowdy drinking, no crude jokes that would normally be followed by a burning glare from Éponine. It was just a quiet meal between friends on a day when many others should have been present but sadly it was not to be so.


	13. Chapter 13

Éponine looked out of the carriage window at the Lestat estate, her throat went dry at the sight of the large buildings. "I don't know about this..." She turned to Daniel, "I don't know why we even came."

Daniel gently squeezed her hand, "you were going to have to meet them at some point," he reasoned. "Besides they will love you," he gently squeezed her hand.

Éponine nervously bit at her lower lip, "what if they don't?"

Daniel smiled, "trust me, they will."

Éponine sat still for a moment, "what if they ask me about..."

Daniel gently patted her hand, "everything will be just fine, I just want you to tell the truth."

Éponine sighed, "alright, but if they don't like me?"

Daniel kissed her on her cheek, "then we'll just have to elope won't we?" Éponine couldn't help but smile and feel a little better about what lay ahead at his family estate.

When the carriage finally stopped in front the house Daniel exited first and then helped Éponine. A couple of the families servants took their belongings away into the house and only two remained to greet them. "This is M. Baudet our family butler," he gestured to the older man with greying hair, "and Mme. Bernalle our housekeeper." The older woman bobbed her head in recognition.

"Your family is waiting for you, we should not hold them up for too long," M. Baudet spoke up.

Éponine's nervousness worsened and she swore she could feel the color draining from her face. She tried desperately to not let it show, but knew that she was failing.

"Come my love," Daniel called to her, she went to his side and some of her confidence returned to her but not much.

When they entered the house she was very much in awe of her surroundings, they were so grand and spectacular. M. Baudet took them through the hall and to the parlor.

"Daniel!" A young girl of about the age of tweleve ran to him and embraced him.

"It's good to see you too Rosalie," Daniel smiled, Rosalie stepped away from him and looked at Éponine.

"Is this her?" She grinned, "my look what you've got... Lucille could never stand a chance against her..."

"Who's Lucille?" Éponine asked.

Daniel sighed, "she is my sister Clarise's dearest friend and infatuated with me."

Éponine tried to brush it of with a laugh but she herself had once harbored feelings of infatuation for young man, feelings she mistook for love.

"Well come on! Maman and Papa would like to see you!" Rosalie pulled at his arm, all the Lestat children tended to use less formal terms of endearment for their parents.  
She took the two of them to the parlor, where they were greeted by a tall man with dark brown hair and blue eyes.

"Good to see you my son," then he looked to Éponine, "ahhh... So this is the lovely girl?" He smiled at her kindly. "My name is Victor Lestat, and this is my wife Madeline."

"How are you my dear?" Madeline asked, she was very pretty, slim with light brown hair pinned into a fashionable twist.

"Very well," Éponine replied tentatively, Madeline gently took her hand.

"I see you've met Rosalie, these are my other two daughters Clarise and Elisabeth." She introduced her to Daniel's other sisters.

Clarise seemed to be about her own age while Elisabeth was closer to Azelma's, "how do you do?" Clarise held out her hand.

Éponine took it, "Very well, thank you," she replied.

"Oh Clarise don't bother her too much, she must be tired after the journey," Elisabeth spoke up jokingly but politely, like a proper lady would.

Indeed she was but she was still a little nervous to say so, sensing her discomfort Clarise came to her aid, "perhaps you would like to sit down? You like quiet weary." Éponine smiled and sat upon one of the sofa's feeling grateful towards the other girl.

"So Mademoiselle Thenardier, where is it that you and your family come from?" Monsieur Lestat asked.

Éponine swallowed nervously, "I... Uhh..." Daniel's words from earlier was the only thing that urged her on and kept her from lying. "We come from Montfermeil, but we came to Paris when I was twelve."

"Montfermeil? Nice place, quiet town..." Daniel's father mused, Éponine sighed, things were alright for now.

"Yes... I liked it there very much, oh how I hated to leave..." She frowned, her speech came a little easier now."

"I don't mean to pry but may I ask why you left?" Madame Lestat then asked.

"The inn... That was what my parents ran... Well we lost all our money and that, we couldn't stay any longer," she blushed with embarrassment about her families predicament. How could they really understand? They probably had never been hungry a single day in their lives.

"You poor dear..." Madame Lestat shook her head, "did Paris bring new hope?"

Éponine bit her lip, coming to Paris was the beginning of her downfall, from when she turned from a pretty little girl to a street walker and thief. It had taken her five years of her life away, but now she was free from all of it. Now she had her whole life ahead of her instead of wishing she would die from cold or disease. "It did not..."

"What do you do in Paris?" Clarise asked, steering the conversation away for a moment.

"Now? Oh, well now my sister and I are seamstresses, we work for Madame D'Auvergne," she spoke proudly.

"You have a sister?" Rosalie asked excited.

"And a brother!" She replied smiling, but then she realized what she had said. She didn't have a brother anymore... Gavroche was dead.

"What are they like?" Rosalie grinned.

"Azelma... My sister, she likes to draw pictures when she can, she loves walking through the market but tends to be quiet. I think she must be about Elisabeth's age..." Éponine looked at Elisabeth.

"And your brother?"

"My brother... Well you see... Gavroche..." Her throat seemed to close and a couple of tears fell down her cheeks, "I'm sorry it's just..."

Daniel tenderly put his arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "would you like to tell them, or should I?"

"I'll be fine," she whispered back and quickly dabbed at her eyes, "I'm sorry," she apologized once again, "my brother... Well he liked to have fun, that was all he ever wanted to do... But he died on the barricades last year... He was eleven..."

There was a collective gasp in the room, "Oh my, you poor, poor thing!" Madame Lestat's eyes widened.

As much as she appreciated their sympathy she was not sure how much she really wanted to be pitied, it still tended to make her feel weak a vulnerable... Feelings that that she still did not like having the whole world be privy to.

"I miss him... I do, but I know he's up there happy and having all the fun he could ever want," she smiled weakly.

The rest of day was uneventful, the Lestat family was very taken with Éponine just like Daniel said they would be, it shocked her at first but then realized how much she liked his family. They were very kind to her, and she was getting on delightfully with his sisters.

That evening they continued their conversation in Éponine's room,"What's Paris like?" Rosalie asked with wonder, Éponine smiled, Daniel's youngest sister reminded her of Gavroche quiet a bit.

"Oh it's a big city..." She answered her offhandedly, "nothing too exciting."

"It's got to be more then that!" Rosalie replied, "I bet it's wonderful!"

"Some parts are... Well maybe I've just lived there too long," Éponine shrugged, she didn't want to dash the young girls dreams of the city. After all even though Paris had not treated her kindly that did not necessarily apply to everyone who took up residence there.

"I can't wait till I can go, perhaps one day I'll live there," Rosalie smiled brightly.

Éponine grinned at the young girl, she liked her very much, "I suppose you could."

"I want to meet a devilishly handsome young man and fall in love!" Rosalie grinned happily.

"Sounds like something that could have been plucked from a romance novel!" Éponine laughed casually.

"Oh Éponine isn't there anything else you could tell us about Paris?" Elisabeth asked.

"Have I not told you enough?"

"Beth don't prod," Clarise threw a look to her younger sister, Elisabeth sighed quietly.

Éponine was beginning to feel a sense of home here with these girls, if only Azelma could have been here to meet them too.

"Where is your sister? Why did she not come?" Elisabeth asked.

"She was helping out a couple of our friends," Éponine explained, Azelma had stayed behind in order to help Mirabella and Musichetta move into their new flat. In other words she mostly played with Mirabella's young son while the older girls with the help of one of their new neighbors set up the flat, it was now closer to where both Musichetta and Mirabella worked and had more space.

"I wish to meet her," Rosalie added.

"I'm sure you will, just not this time," Éponine smiled.

"Ladies? Mademoiselle Thenardier?" The Housekeeper called to them, "It is time for dinner."

Éponine was now very much enjoying her stay with the Lestat's and was now able to speak freely and casually, Daniel's father treated her as if she was one of his own daughters and she found how much she liked having a father figure. But, during dinner on one of her last nights M. Lestat asked a question that really did not seem unreasonable but more of a surprise then anything else.

"Have you two made any plans for marriage?" he asked.

Éponine and Daniel both froze, "father?" Daniel asked, his face had gone quiet pale.

"Well come now, look at the two of you! I see how much you love this charming young lady! Surely you will be marrying soon!" He laughed.

"Victor..." Daniel's mother spoke quietly to her husband.

Daniel's face had now flushed a deep shade of red and Éponine could here Rosalie giggling nearby, now that she thought about it, outside of his offhanded joke in carriage ride, she hadn't really ever considered the possibility of marrying Daniel.

"Not yet father," Daniel replied stiffly, the redness was slowly leaving his father, now he had ruined the surprise he had planned for Éponine later that night.

"Well you should get on it my boy!" Victor chuckled, "you should not let her get away!"

Now it was Éponine's turn to blush a little, she tried to had it but there simply was no use.

"Victor..." Madeline spoke a little firmer, "it is not a crime that they have not made plans yet, they are young and they have time." she smiled.

"Very well," Victor turned to his wife, "but when it does you must let me know immediately!"

Daniel nodded his head silently, he had lost all his words and felt as if he would not be able to properly form any kind of a sentence.

Later that night after dinner Éponine and Daniel walked about the gardens, they hardly talked still trying to get over the shock they had received at dinner.

"I suppose he only meant well," Daniel shrugged putting his hands in his coat pockets and breathed deeply.

"I suppose so, it still was... A surprise to say the least," Éponine replied.

"My father can be like that sometimes, I really should have known..." Daniel shook his head as he sat down on a bench, Éponine now sat beside him, "It wasn't that bad..."

"'Ponine..." Daniel started.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever thought of getting married?" He asked her.

"I... Well... I suppose..." She glanced away from him feeling a touch embarrassed.

"What about getting married to me?" he asked.

Now she laughed a little and looked straight at him, "if this is what you call a proposal you are hopeless at it!"

"Women, you can be so picky!" Now Daniel laughed too, "very well... Call that one practice." Then he got down on one knee in front of her, "this isn't exactly as I had planned it to go," he admitted. "Éponine Céline Thenardier... Will you marry me?" He held out a simple but beautiful ring.

"How did you find out my middle name?" she asked.

"Does it really matter? Will you?" he asked again.

Éponine smiled brightly, "why of course I will!" she pulled him back up onto his feet and kissed him, "now how did you find out my name? I've never told you!"

Daniel laughed, "well if you must know... I asked Azelma!" Then he looked at one of the widows in the house and he could see Rosalie's face peering out. "Oh no... Be ready for more champagne and wine then you will ever be able to drink! In about five minutes my whole family will know of our impending marriage." He put his arm around her shoulder, "are you ready to face them?"

"I have you with me, I could take on anything!" she kissed him once more on the cheek as they started walking back towards the house.


	14. Chapter 14

"Oh you're back!" Azelma greeted her sister upon her arrival back at their flat on rue de Richelieu, "how was it? Did it go well?"

"Yes, it was fine," Éponine replied then showed her sister her ring that Daniel had given her, "in fact it is more then fine."

Azelma gasped, "You? You're going to be married? To Daniel?"

Éponine laughed, "of course to Daniel who else could it possibly be? It's not like I have hundreds of men to do what I like with."

"I know... That's very exciting!" Azelma grinned.

Éponine smiled, "yes, oh how I wish Bella or Cosette were here so I could tell them..."

"Well you are in some luck, Marius and Cosette wanted to see you, they would like us to come by tonight, it seems they have news of their own."

"Oh?" Éponine raised her eyebrow, "but you don't know what sort of news?"

"No, but whatever it is to be it must be happy, or at least it seems like it is to be that way," Azelma shrugged her shoulders, "Oh 'Ponine, it's so good to have you back."

"What? I was only gone a week, did you really miss me so much?" Éponine giggled a little.

"Is it a crime to miss my sister? Yes, I loved being with 'Chetta and Bella... And you really should see how much Antoine has grown! But I did miss you..."

"It's alright 'Zelm I missed you too," she put her arm around Azelma's thin shoulders, "now what time did we specify we be there?"

"If you weren't too tired as soon as you could," Azelma added, "do you want to rest for a bit?"

"Heavens no! If it wasn't so odd for us to do such a thing now I feel that I could take to the streets and shout for joy!" Éponine laughed.

"So should we leave?" she asked her older sister.

"Yes we should," Éponine got up and picked up her coat again, Azelma got up to stop her, "perhaps Daniel should come with us?"

"Why?"

"Well you are marrying him aren't you?" Azelma laughed, "besides while he may not say so I can only assume that Marius would not wish to hear a bunch of girls chattering."

"I suppose I could ask," Éponine opened the door and looked at the stairs, "I'll be right back," she quickly walked down a flight of stairs to Daniel's flat and knocked on his door.

"What is it?" He called without opening the door.

"It's me Éponine," she called, within moments he opened the door, his waistcoat was undone and his cravat was loosened. "Well don't you look a down right mess," she laughed at the sight of him.

Daniel sighed and buttoned his waistcoat and retied his cravat, "is something the matter?" he asked her.

"No, I was just wondering if you would like to accompany Azelma and I to dinner? At the Pontermcy's?" she asked him.

"Would I not be imposing?" he asked as he straightened his cravat.

"I would think not, I'm sure they would love to see you," Éponine smiled brightly, Daniel said nothing, "alright this was Azelma's idea..."

"I thought as much..." He laughed a little at her, "of course I'll accompany you, besides I'm assuming you would like some help breaking the news to them?" he nodded to her ring.

"I don't need help telling them I'm engaged!" she scoffed proudly.

"Of course not, it's just enjoyable to see your feather's get ruffled," he grinned at her.

"Well keep going and at this rate I might not speak to you for a week!" she glared at him.

"Having a little lover's quarrel are we?" Azelma descended the stairs, "I thought you were ready to go?"

"In a moment," she replied, "well don't you need your coat?"

"You are right," called Daniel as he went back into his flat to fetch his coat and hat.

"I always am!" she called out to him.

Daniel laughed and shook his head when he came out, "I will not argue with you right now," he then looked to the two sisters, "shall we?"

"Eponine it is so good to see you," Cosette greeted them as they were shown in by Nicolette, "and of course Azelma... Daniel you've come with them?"

"Yes I have madame," he swiftly nodded his head to her.

"Oh no, I insist you call me Cosette," she smiled to him, "Marius will be down here in just a moment, so how was your trip to Marsielles?"

"It was wonderful," Éponine smiled then threw a quick glance towards Daniel, "we cannot wait to tell you all about it."

"I cannot wait to hear about it, now you should come in and sit down," she took them to the drawing room. Moments later Marius's voice could be heard coming towards the room, "sounds like our guests are here?" he looked into the room, "I trust you had an easy journey back." Then he noticed Daniel's presence, "Daniel? Has 'Ponine dragged you here with her? Whatever for?"

"Well..." He began and then looked to Éponine, "I have a feeling it's more of Éponine's place to explain why I am here."

"So you have good news I suspect?" Cosette looked at the two of them, "we have some of our own but I would like to here yours first."

Now Éponine blushed, she wasn't quiet sure how to speak of her engagement, "I'm getting married..." She spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm sorry I did not hear you," Cosette looked at her a little concerned.

"Come now, where was the girl who was brimming with confidence mere moments ago?" Daniel laughed a little.

Éponine cleared her throat, "very well..." she spoke a little louder, "we are to be married."

Cosette's eyes widened in happiness, "why that is wonderful 'Ponine!"

"Congratulations to you both, it's funny I never pictured you being tied down like this," he laughed at Éponine, "you are such a free spirit."

"Nonsense, all that means is that Daniel will never be bored with her," Cosette smiled, the small group burst into light laughter.

"Now 'Zelma told me that you have news of your own you wished to share?" Éponine asked with a questioning glance.

"Oh yes of course, that is part of why we wanted you to be here tonight," Cosette carefully arranged the skirt of her dress. "Our news is... Well I am pregnant." She spoke out rightly to them all and smiled.

"Cosette! Your news is greater then mine!" Éponine smiled brightly her brown eyes flashing brilliantly.

"Even I will agree with that," said Daniel as he turned to Marius, "congratulations my friend."

"And to you, I wish the both of you great happiness," Marius replied with a kind smile, it was now for certain that Éponine, one of his dearest friends was finally, truly going to be happy. He couldn't have wished for anything more wonderful to happen to her.


End file.
